Source: Paul Archuleta / Getty
Former MTV VJ Ananda Lewis has been honest about her breast cancer journey, telling fans about her diagnosis four years ago. She said that she delayed getting mammograms for years due to concerns about radiation.
Once diagnosed, Lewis opted to treat her cancer with holistic methods, instead of the medical protocols of radiation, chemotherapy and mastectomy. But in a recent conversation with CNN reporter Sara Sidner, who also has breast cancer, and their friend journalist Stephanie Elam, Lewis revealed that her cancer has now spread to her lymph nodes.
“I was just like, ‘Fudge man, I really thought I had this.’ I was frustrated, I was a little angry at myself, and I said, ‘Man, listen. I know you’re coming for me at some point. But I don’t want it to be now. And if you could just wait, I promise when you do come, I’m gonna make it fun for you.’
Lewis said that she decided to “keep my tumor” and make changes including a better diet and better sleep along with other remedies. She did do both medication and radiation which are part of a general regimen to eradicate breast cancer. Though she said that she has had some rough times including being so weak she was unable to get out of bed, she clarified her current condition in another interview.
“I understand that people don’t get it. They’re entitled to their opinion,” she told Shameika Rhymes on Soulibration via BlackDoctor.org. Lewis says that after the CNN interview aired last week, she received texts and calls from friends and loved ones who said they were hoping she was OK and praying for her. Online, she faced backlash from people who believed she should have followed established medical protocols.
But Lewis says that she’s now doing well. She acknowledges that things did take a turn for the worse last year but says that turned into a learning experience.
“In 2023, that’s when things got worse, that’s when I was elevated to stage four,” she told Rhymes. “Today, I’m doing fantastic. All of that led me to better solutions. And I think I said this in the [ CNN ] interview. You have to keep your mind and intelligence open to new things. Even things you sometimes may not be down with, and when you’re following your body the way I am through this journey for myself, you have to listen and you have to do what’s necessary.”
Lewis says that she chose the path that resonated for her along with many others who have done the same treatments. She does say that she feels that she should have gotten regular mammograms, which she said she was fearful of due to the radiation.
“I still am on the fence about mammograms,” she said on Soulibration, then added, “I’m gonna rephrase that. My biggest mistake was not staying on top of early detection. I could have used 3D ultrasound.”
Data shows that Black women are diagnosed less with breast cancer, but die of it more. Health disparities, medical racism, and access to screening are part of the reason why. Misinformation and disinformation contribute to that. So Lewis wants the public to know that while her treatment choices were right for her, they may not be right for everyone.
And she does believe that medication and surgery are important options to consider.
“Medicine matters. I didn’t shun it in the beginning, I just said ‘Not yet,’ she added. “But with the numbers growing and cancer diagnoses off the charts, we’ve never seen anything like this. I feel like unfortunately, a lot of people criticizing me are going to have to deal with it themselves or with someone they know. And when that day comes, God forbid, I hope they are willing to do the right thing for their body and be open to what that might include.”
More than anything else, Lewis is glad there is a discussion being had around the decisions that women have to make about their health care and their lives when faced with a medical challenge.
‘I’m grateful that it’s opened up some necessary difficult conversations and I’m here for it. I’ve been having difficult conversations since Teen Summit .”
For more information on Black women and breast cancer, go here.
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