Ananda Lewis, former MTV VJ, revealed in a recent CNN roundtable discussion that her breast cancer, first diagnosed in 2020, has metastasized to stage IV.
The 51-year-old shared this news while speaking alongside her close friend and CNN journalist Stephanie Elam, and CNN anchor Sara Sidner, who was also recently treated for stage III breast cancer.
Lewis explained that after her initial diagnosis, she chose not to undergo a double mastectomy, having previously avoided mammograms due to concerns about radiation.
By the time she found a lump in her breast, the cancer had already progressed to stage III.
“My plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body. I felt like my body is intelligent… Our bodies are brilliantly made,” Lewis shared during the discussion.
She initially pursued a holistic approach, focusing on rest, diet, and radiation treatments, hoping to heal naturally. However, despite initial signs of improvement, the cancer eventually spread.
“Looking back on that, I go, ‘You know what? Maybe I should have,’” she reflected on her decision not to remove the tumor earlier.
During the roundtable, Lewis opened up about the difficult moments in her journey, including a period when her lymphatic system became severely affected.
“That was the first time I ever had a conversation with death,” she said.
“I was frustrated, a little angry at myself, but I thought, ‘If you could just wait, I promise when you do come, I’m gonna make it fun for you.'”
In her earlier Instagram post in 2020, Lewis urged women to get regular mammograms, expressing regret for not doing so herself sooner.
“If I had done the mammograms when they were recommended, they would have caught the tumor in my breast years before I did,” she explained.
She emphasized the importance of early detection, sharing her hope that other women learn from her experience.
