{"id":6797,"date":"2025-06-12T01:41:19","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T01:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/?p=6797"},"modified":"2025-06-12T01:41:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T01:41:20","slug":"ananda-lewis-former-mtv-vj-who-shared-breast-cancer-journey-has-died-at-52","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/?p=6797","title":{"rendered":"Ananda Lewis, former MTV VJ who shared breast cancer journey, has died at 52"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ananda Lewis, who joined MTV as a VJ on shows like\u00a0<em>Total Request Live<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<em>Hot Zone<\/em>\u00a0in the late \u201890s, has died at 52 after a years-long battle with breast cancer, according to her sister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ananda Lewis Death: MTV VJ, Breast Cancer Advocate, and Her Legacy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LoeQ9MxPTpg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/mtv\">MTV<\/a>&nbsp;community is mourning a tragic loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ananda Lewis<\/strong>, a former VJ on MTV shows like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/883778\/9-fun-facts-you-might-not-know-about-mtv-s-total-request-live\"><em>Total Request Live<\/em><\/a><em>&nbsp;<\/em>and&nbsp;<em>Hot Zone<\/em>, has died, according to her sister&nbsp;<strong>Lakshmi Emory<\/strong>. She was 52.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-676-684x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-676-684x1024.png 684w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-676-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-676-768x1150.png 768w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-676.png 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s free, and in His heavenly arms,\u201d Emory wrote in a June 11&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lakshmi.emory\/posts\/pfbid02h3PEDVYBeyWEb3j5C77tBo5evV5c7sg4GXNBeYNKKPAp933PTdJHoBAwkaZ3MgxVl\">Facebook<\/a>&nbsp;post. \u201cLord, rest her soul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-677-768x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-677-768x1024.png 768w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-677-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-677.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A cause of death has not been disclosed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior to her passing, Lewis had been battling&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/cancer\">breast cancer<\/a>, which she first revealed in a 2020&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CF0tE2gHxw8\/\">Instagram<\/a>&nbsp;post after being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-679-683x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-679-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-679-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-679-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-679-1024x1536.png 1024w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-679.png 1160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four years later, the former TV host shared that she had opted to not have a double mastectomy and had instead decided to \u201ckeep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-680-1024x682.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-680-1024x682.png 1024w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-680-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-680-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-680-1536x1023.png 1536w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-680.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body,\u201d Lewis said in an October 2024 interview. \u201cI felt like my body is intelligent, I know that to be true. Our bodies are brilliantly made.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-681-1024x538.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6807\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-681-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-681-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-681-768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-681.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reflecting on her treatment path, she emphasized her regret. \u201cI wish I could go back,\u201d she continued. \u201cIt\u2019s important for me to admit where I went wrong with this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-682.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6808\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-682.png 600w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-682-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lewis also revealed that her tumor had metastasized and that her cancer had reached stage 4, which later prompted her to reflect on her life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-683-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-683-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-683-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-683-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-683-1536x1152.png 1536w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-683.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We&#8217;re not meant to stay here forever,\u201d she wrote in an essay published in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/lifestyle\/ananda-lewis-breast-cancer\/\"><em>Essence<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0<\/em>in January. \u201cWe come to this life, have experiences-and then we go. Being real about that with yourself changes how you choose to live.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-684-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6810\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-684-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-684-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-684-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-684-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-684.png 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Encouraging others to recognize that &#8220;prevention is the real cure&#8221; for cancer, she added, \u201cI don&#8217;t want to spend one more minute than I have to suffering unnecessarily. That, for me, is not the quality of life I&#8217;m interested in. When it&#8217;s time for me to go, I want to be able to look back on my life and say, &#8216;I did that exactly how I wanted to.'&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"401\" src=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-678.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-678.png 640w, https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/image-678-300x188.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lewis is survived by her son&nbsp;<strong>Langston<\/strong>, 14, whom she shared with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/will_smith\"><strong>Will Smith<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s brother&nbsp;<strong>Harry Smith<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ananda Lewis, who joined MTV as a VJ on shows like\u00a0Total Request Live\u00a0and\u00a0Hot Zone\u00a0in the late \u201890s, has died at 52 after a years-long battle with breast cancer, according to her sister. The&nbsp;MTV&nbsp;community is mourning a tragic loss. Ananda Lewis, a former VJ on MTV shows like&nbsp;Total Request Live&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hot Zone, has died, according to her [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6812,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[930,807,216,801],"class_list":["post-6797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-ananda-lewis","tag-keynews","tag-news","tag-topkeynews-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6797"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6797\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6813,"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6797\/revisions\/6813"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/topkeynews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}