Former MTV VJ Ananda Lewis has shared that her breast cancer has progressed to stage IV. The 51-year-old first opened up about her diagnosis in 2020, revealing that she had been fighting stage III cancer after avoiding mammograms for years due to concerns about radiation exposure.

In a recent round-table discussion with CNN’s Stephanie Elam and anchor Sara Sidner, Lewis opened up about the difficult choices she faced during her cancer journey. After her initial diagnosis, doctors recommended a double mastectomy. But, Lewis opted for a different route, relying on homeopathic remedies alongside medication, radiation, and lifestyle changes, such as improving her sleep and diet.

“My plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body. I felt like my body is intelligent, I know that to be true. Our bodies are brilliantly made,” Lewis said, explaining her decision to avoid surgery initially. She believed her body could handle the cancer through other means. “I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. Looking back on that, I go, ‘You know what? Maybe I should have.’”

For a while, her alternative approach seemed to be working. However, last year, she discovered that the cancer had spread, leading to a severe flare-up of her lymphatic system. The experience brought her to a point where she had to confront the possibility of death.

“It was the first time I ever had a conversation with death because I felt like: This is how it is,” she recounted. “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 spoke candidly about her eight-week struggle confined to bed, reflecting on her choice not to undergo a double mastectomy. “My quality of life was very important to me. I want to want to be here. So I had to do it a certain way, for me.”