Ananda Lewis, who became well-known as a host on MTV and BET, has sadly died at the age of 52.

Her sister, Lakshmi, shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook on June 11. She wrote that Ananda is now at peace in God’s hands.

Back in 2020, Ananda had revealed that she was dealing with Stage III breast cancer. She admitted that she hadn’t been getting regular mammograms because she was afraid of the effects of radiation.

Later, during a conversation with CNN’s Sara Sidner and her friend Stephanie Elam, Ananda shared that her cancer had advanced to Stage IV. She said she chose not to get a double mastectomy, even though doctors recommended it.

In October 2024, she told Good Morning America that she found it too hard to face such a big surgery. At the time, she was a stay-at-home mom homeschooling her son. Cancer didn’t stop her daily life—it added more stress on top of it.

Ananda explained that her mother had gotten breast cancer even with regular mammograms. That experience made her question whether the scans really helped.

Although she didn’t follow every part of traditional medical care, Ananda worked closely with doctors. She changed her diet and took a softer form of chemotherapy known as fractionated chemo.

Ananda began her television career by hosting BET’s Teen Summit for three seasons. She then joined MTV, where she hosted popular shows like Total Request Live and Hot Zone. In 2001, she left MTV to host her own talk show.

When asked how she would like people to remember her, Ananda said, “That I loved hard, and lived loud, and didn’t back away from problems. And loved this life and was OK with letting it go too.”

BET also paid tribute to Ananda on Instagram. They said she wasn’t just a host—she inspired young people to speak up, believe in themselves, and think deeply.

They added that Ananda always brought intelligence, beauty, and honesty to every space she entered. Her voice and influence touched many lives and will never be forgotten.