Fans and loved ones are still coping with the loss of television personality Ananda Lewis, who tragically passed away at age 52 after a years-long battle with breast cancer. Lewis's sister confirmed her death in a June 11 Facebook post, writing, "She’s free and in His heavenly arms. Lord, rest her soul."
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But while Lewis bravely fought the disease -- which impacts 1 in 8 women in their lifetime, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation -- it's hard not to wonder if different choices about screenings and treatment might have led to a different outcome. Here's why Lewis' story should be a cautionary tale for other Black women.
Early Detection Matters
Lewis first shared her diagnosis in an emotional October 2020 post on Instagram, telling viewers she had been "fighting to get cancer out of her body" for nearly two years. She explained that she was diagnosed at stage 3 after conducting a self-exam, adding that she had not been getting routine mammograms as she believed the radiation caused cancer.
"I have refused mammograms and that was a mistake. I watched my mom get mammograms for 30 years almost, and at the end of that she had breast cancer," she said.
But Lewis added that she chose to share her story with her followers, hoping they would learn from her reluctance and get these potentially life-saving screenings. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, women who receive regular breast cancer screenings have a 26 percent lower death rate than those who don't.
“I need you to share this with the women in your life who may be as stubborn as I was about mammograms and I need you to tell them that they have to do it,” Lewis said in her announcement. “Early detection, especially for breast cancer, changes your outcome. It can save their life.”
Alternative Treatment
Four years after sharing her diagnosis, Lewis announced that her cancer had progressed to stage 4. In an October 2024 interview, she told CNN’s Stephanie Elam and Sara Snyder that she ignored her doctor's recommendation to have a double mastectomy -- a procedure that would involve removing both breasts -- choosing to make changes to her diet and sleep habits instead.
“They wanted to take both [breasts]. They wanted to do all of these big things that I was not ready for,” she said.
But Snyder, a breast cancer survivor who chose to have a double mastectomy, even though cancer was only discovered in one of her breasts, said she would have advised Lewis to do whatever she needed to do – including surgery – to remove the cancer from her body.
"Girl, I would have choked you out," she said. "I was ready to call you and cuss you out."
Lewis admitted that while she initially thought the surgery would interfere with her life as a mom who homeschooled her now-14-year-old son, if she had the chance to do it over again, she would have made a different choice.
“Looking back on that, I go, ‘You know what? Maybe I should have [had a double mastectomy],’” she said. “My lymph system really flared up. It was the first time I ever had a conversation with death because I felt like, this is how it is.”
A Warning to Other Women
Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. But regular screenings can help change those staggering statistics. In her last Instagram post, Lewis shared a warning to other women about the importance of prioritizing their health.
"Prevention is the cure. If you’re in a healthy body, you’re holding a winning lotto ticket. PLEASE learn how to avoid cancer. Because you still can," she captioned the February 10 post.
An overwhelming number of people in the comments agreed.
"Traditional medicine isn’t magic, but it’s the best we have to fighting this terrible disease. Ananda was diagnosed at Stage 3, and chose to keep the tumor (instead of getting a mastectomy). The result today might have been different if she took the doctor’s advice. May she rest in peace," wrote someone on Instagram.
Although she's no longer with us, Lewis' message did reach thousands of fans, many of whom have decided to take matters of their health into their own hands.
"I am 48 years old and i have never had a mammogram... and i want her family to see and know that because of her, i just signed into my health plan for the first time, and looked up a physician and made an appointment to get my first screening. thank you for making this, i know you are gone from this earth, but i know your spirit hears this. thank you for the warning, and I HEARD YOU. sending love, thank you!" wrote someone on Instagram.
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