Former television host Ananda Lewis has died, her sister Lakshmi Emory shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Lewis was 52.
Lewis, who was known for her role as an MTV VJ and host of Teen Summit, was battling Stage 4 breast cancer.
Lewis first revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020, via an Instagram video that included her hope to encourage other women to get a mammogram. Lewis was battling Stage 3 cancer at the time.
In October 2024, a year after her cancer had progressed to Stage 4, Lewis spoke with ABC News' Kelley L. Carter to talk about her diagnosis and the treatment decisions she had to make, which included a refusal to undergo a medically recommended double mastectomy followed by rounds of chemotherapy.
Lewis, who was born March 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, began her career on BET when she landed a role as host of Teen Summit in 1993, a talk show program that focused on issues faced by Black teens. It also included live performances.
In 2001, she had her own talk show called The Ananda Lewis Show.
The role that many know Lewis for was as an MTV VJ. She hosted a variety of shows including Total Request Live and Hot Zone.
She was a correspondent on The Insider from 2004 to 2017.