Ananda Lewis’ Demise is a Cautionary Story to Black Ladies About Breast Most cancers

Followers and family members are nonetheless dealing with the lack of tv character Ananda Lewis, who tragically handed away at age 52 after a years-long battle with breast most cancers. Lewis’s sister confirmed her dying in a June 11 Fb put up, writing, “She’s free and in His heavenly arms. Lord, relaxation her soul.”

However whereas Lewis bravely fought the illness — which impacts 1 in 8 girls of their lifetime, in accordance with the Nationwide Breast Most cancers Basis — it is onerous to not marvel if completely different decisions about screenings and therapy may need led to a unique consequence. This is why Lewis’ story must be a cautionary story for different Black girls.

Early Detection Issues

Lewis first shared her prognosis in an emotional October 2020 put up on Instagram, telling viewers she had been “combating to get most cancers out of her physique” for practically two years. She defined that she was identified at stage 3 after conducting a self-exam, including that she had not been getting routine mammograms as she believed the radiation triggered most cancers.

“I’ve refused mammograms and that was a mistake. I watched my mother get mammograms for 30 years virtually, and on the finish of that she had breast most cancers,” she mentioned.

However Lewis added that she selected to share her story together with her followers, hoping they might study from her reluctance and get these probably life-saving screenings. In keeping with the Nationwide Breast Most cancers Basis, girls who obtain common breast most cancers screenings have a 26 p.c decrease dying charge than those that do not.

“I would like you to share this with the ladies in your life who could also be as cussed as I used to be about mammograms and I would like you to inform them that they must do it,” Lewis mentioned in her announcement. “Early detection, particularly for breast most cancers, modifications your consequence. It could possibly save their life.”

Various Therapy

4 years after sharing her prognosis, Lewis introduced that her most cancers had progressed to stage 4. In an October 2024 interview, she instructed CNN’s Stephanie Elam and Sara Snyder that she ignored her physician’s advice to have a double mastectomy — a process that will contain eradicating each breasts — selecting to make modifications to her food plan and sleep habits as a substitute.

“They needed to take each [breasts]. They needed to do all of those huge issues that I used to be not prepared for,” she mentioned.

However Snyder, a breast most cancers survivor who selected to have a double mastectomy, although most cancers was solely found in one in all her breasts, mentioned she would have suggested Lewis to do no matter she wanted to do – together with surgical procedure – to take away the most cancers from her physique.

“Lady, I might have choked you out,” she mentioned. “I used to be able to name you and cuss you out.”

Lewis admitted that whereas she initially thought the surgical procedure would intervene together with her life as a mother who homeschooled her now-14-year-old son, if she had the prospect to do it over once more, she would have made a unique selection.

“Trying again on that, I’m going, ‘You recognize what? Possibly I ought to have [had a double mastectomy],’” she mentioned. “My lymph system actually flared up. It was the primary time I ever had a dialog with dying as a result of I felt like, that is how it’s.”

A Warning to Different Ladies

Black girls are 40 p.c extra more likely to die from breast most cancers than white girls, in accordance with the Nationwide Breast Most cancers Basis. However common screenings can assist change these staggering statistics. In her final Instagram put up, Lewis shared a warning to different girls in regards to the significance of prioritizing their well being.

“Prevention is the treatment. When you’re in a wholesome physique, you’re holding a profitable lotto ticket. PLEASE learn to keep away from most cancers. Since you nonetheless can,” she captioned the February 10 put up.

An awesome variety of folks within the feedback agreed.

“Conventional drugs isn’t magic, nevertheless it’s one of the best now we have to combating this horrible illness. Ananda was identified at Stage 3, and selected to maintain the tumor (as a substitute of getting a mastectomy). The end result right now may need been completely different if she took the physician’s recommendation. Could she relaxation in peace,” wrote somebody on Instagram.

Though she’s not with us, Lewis’ message did attain 1000’s of followers, lots of whom have determined to take issues of their well being into their very own fingers.

“I’m 48 years previous and i’ve by no means had a mammogram… and i need her household to see and know that due to her, i simply signed into my well being plan for the primary time, and regarded up a doctor and made an appointment to get my first screening. thanks for making this, i do know you’re gone from this earth, however i do know your spirit hears this. thanks for the warning, and I HEARD YOU. sending love, thanks!” wrote somebody on Instagram.