Former tv host Ananda Lewis has died, her sister Lakshmi Emory shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Lewis was 52.
Lewis, who was recognized for her function as an MTV VJ and host of “Teen Summit,” was battling Stage 4 breast most cancers.
“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Emory wrote on Fb. “Lord, relaxation her soul.”
TV Persona Ananda Lewis visits Hallmark’s “Dwelling & Household” on March 21, 2019 in Common Metropolis, California.
Paul Archuleta/Getty Photos
Lewis first revealed she was recognized with breast most cancers in October 2020. She revealed the information in an Instagram video with the hope to encourage different ladies to get a mammogram. Lewis was battling Stage 3 most cancers on the time.
“I’ve been preventing to get most cancers out of my physique for nearly two years,” she mentioned on the time. “For a very very long time, I’ve refused mammograms, and that was a mistake.”
Lewis admitted that she refused common mammograms due to her concern of being uncovered to radiation.
Individuals with a median threat of breast most cancers are beneficial to start out mammogram screening beginning at age 40 and even youthful for these with greater than common threat. Mammograms are thought-about secure. They emit a really small quantity of radiation, however lower than a normal X-ray.
“I would like you to get your mammograms,” she implored, sharing that she needed to regulate her food regimen and life-style. “I nonetheless have a variety of work to do. … I want I may return. I’ve a 9-year-old I must be right here for.”
In October 2024, a yr after her most cancers had progressed to Stage 4, Lewis spoke with ABC News’ Kelley L. Carter to speak about her prognosis and the remedy choices she needed to make, which included a refusal to bear a medically beneficial double mastectomy adopted by rounds of chemotherapy.
“I could not deal with doing such a drastic surgical procedure in my life at the moment,” she mentioned. “I used to be a stay-at-home mother, homeschooling my son. Most cancers would not come and exchange all the opposite stuff you must do. Most cancers occurs on high of your life, and for me, it was simply too overwhelming at first.”
Lewis mentioned on the time that she had opted for homeopathic remedy, together with a change in her food regimen and fractionated chemotherapy, which isn’t beneficial by medical doctors as efficient.
Since she revealed her most cancers prognosis, Lewis confronted criticism from others for her determination to not have surgical procedure years earlier.
“None of these individuals know me and they do not know the main points of my state of affairs,” she mentioned. “I am not gonna sit right here and battle individuals about their opinions. That has no bearing on my life. It is a waste of my time. And I haven’t got time to waste.”
“Life owes me nothing,” she added. “Every single day I get, I am grateful for. What I do is deal with what I can repair. And what I can management.”
Lewis, who was born March 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, started her profession on BET when she landed a task as host of “Teen Summit” in 1993, a chat present program that targeted on points confronted by Black teenagers. It additionally included dwell performances.
In 2001, she had her personal discuss present referred to as “The Ananda Lewis Present.”
The function that many know Lewis for was as an MTV VJ. She hosted a wide range of reveals together with “Complete Request Stay” and “Sizzling Zone.”
She was a correspondent on “The Insider” from 2004 to 2017.
In her 2024 interview with Carter, when requested what she wished individuals to recollect her by, Lewis mentioned, “That I liked onerous and lived loud and did not again away from issues and liked this life. And was OK with letting it go too.”
“It is a momentary state of affairs, so do your finest,” she added. “That is all we’re all doing is our greatest.”
