Ananda Lewis says her cancer has progressed

Ananda Lewis has revealed that her breast cancer diagnosis has metastasized and is currently in stage IV.

Lewis sat down with CNN anchors Sid Sidner and Stephanie Elam, who shared their stories to boost awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Lewis, 51, explained why she decided to forego common breast cancer treatments akin to chemotherapy and mastectomy.

“I have to want to be here,” she said. Lewis made up his mind combining radiotherapy with homeopathic medicines as a way of treating it. “At first, I planned to get rid of excess toxins from my body. I felt that my body was intelligent. I know it’s true. I feel like our bodies are brilliantly built. I decided to keep the tumor and remove it from my body in another way.”

Now, because the cancer has spread, the previous talk show host admits she has needed to cope with disappointment and anger over her decisions.

“I thought, ‘Krank, I really thought I had it.’ I was frustrated, a little angry with myself.”

Lewis revealed her 2020 diagnosis in an Instagram post. Its purpose was to warn the masses against early detection. Her reason for ignoring mammograms was to avoid radiation.

Sidner’s story is the alternative. The 52-year-old CNN anchor took part in suggested screening tests but was diagnosed with cancer during a self-examination. “The American Cancer Society no longer recommends self-exams, but in my opinion, if you can tell, you know your body,” she said.

Sidner, who used aggressive therapy to do away with the disease, made her diagnosis public in January 2024 on air.

“There is no history of breast cancer in my family, and yet I have stage III breast cancer. It’s hard to say it out loud,” Sidner said. “I am in the second month of chemotherapy and will undergo radiotherapy and a double mastectomy. Stage III is no longer a death sentence for the vast majority of women, buthere’s the reality that really shocked my system when i started researching more about breast cancer that i had no idea about before this diagnosis: if you are a black woman, you are 41% greater risk of dying from breast cancer than your white counterparts.”

Sidner and Lewis shared their stories to encourage women to make use of early detection technology. Catching such an aggressive disease could mean the difference between life and death.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation can enable you to locate health care providers offering mammography in your area.