Ananda Lewis, the former MTV VJ and beloved TV personality, has been candid about her health struggles since revealing her stage III breast cancer diagnosis in 2020. In a recent interview with CNN, Lewis shared the painful update that her cancer has progressed to stage IV, a heartbreaking revelation for her fans who have closely followed her journey over the past four years.
Lewis, who had been managing her diagnosis privately for two years before making it public, originally made headlines when she admitted to forgoing regular mammograms despite a family history of breast cancer. She explained that her fear of radiation exposure had kept her from the screenings, a decision she now regrets. “If I had done the mammograms from the time they were recommended, when I turned 40, they would have caught the tumor in my breast years before,” she said in a video posted to Instagram in 2020.
Reflecting on her decision, Lewis candidly acknowledged her misstep. “I’ve had two PET scans, and guess how much radiation those are? About 60 mammograms’ worth. You do the math!” she said, admitting that her own breast exam detected the cancer far too late for easier treatment.
At the time of her diagnosis, Lewis chose an unconventional route. Instead of immediately following her doctors’ advice to have a double mastectomy, she decided to trust in her body’s natural healing processes, making lifestyle changes to detoxify. “I felt like my body is intelligent,” Lewis explained. “I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way.”
However, as she shared with CNN’s Stephanie Elam in the recent interview, looking back, she now questions that decision. “Maybe I should have done the double mastectomy,” she admitted, revealing that her lymph system had become severely impacted as her cancer advanced. She reflected on a frightening moment when she felt her health deteriorating rapidly: “It was the first time I ever had a conversation with death. I felt like, ‘This is how it is.’”
Despite the progression of her cancer, Lewis remains determined to continue her fight. In her conversation with Elam, she spoke with raw honesty about her mixed emotions—frustration, regret, and a determination to push forward. “I really thought I had this,” she confessed. “I know [death is] coming for me at some point. But I don’t want it to be now.”
While Lewis didn’t disclose her doctors’ prognosis, her resilience was clear. She has maintained that sharing her journey is about more than just her own battle; it’s about encouraging others to prioritize their health. “If just ONE woman decides to get her mammogram after watching this, what I’m going through will be worth it,” she wrote in her original Instagram post.
Lewis’ openness about her regrets and the tough choices she has faced resonates with many who follow her story. In her continuing fight, she hopes to inspire others to be vigilant about their health while embracing the complexity of life’s difficult decisions.
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