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Katie Thurston has revealed how Ananda Lewis’ death has affected her own battle with Stage 4 breast cancer.
The “Bachelorette” star, 34, took to her Boobie Broadcast channel over the weekend to say that Lewis’ passing left her “spiraling.”
Lewis, who worked as an MTV video jockey in the ’90s before hosting her own talk show, passed away this month after a lengthy battle with Stage 4 breast cancer. She was 52.
“Currently more accepting about my diagnosis,” Thurston said Saturday. “Although the passing of fellow sister Ananda Lewis had me spiraling for a day.”
“I’ve mostly kept busy and my mind distracted, which has helped A TON,” she added.
Lewis first announced that she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer via an Instagram video shared in October 2020.
The former MTV star revealed that she was diagnosed two years earlier and that she had not been receiving regular mammogram checkups because she was worried about the radiation.
Lewis appeared on CNN in October 2024 to announce that her breast cancer had metastasized and progressed to Stage 4.
She also admitted that she opted not to undergo a double mastectomy despite her doctor’s recommendation.
“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 told anchor Sara Sidner and close friend Stephanie Elam at the time.
“I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. I wish I could go back,” she added. “It’s important for me to admit where I went wrong with this.”
Thurston admitted that she does not plan to approach her breast cancer journey the same way that Lewis did, sharing she “can’t wait” to get her tumor removed.
“A holistic approach takes such extreme discipline that I don’t even have,” the reality star said. “I have made lifestyle changes (and working on more), but while pairing with my medications.”
“I think that’s what scares me about mine – it’s still in me too,” Thurston added regarding her tumor. “I can’t wait to get a double mastectomy.”
Thurston first revealed that she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in an Instagram post shared in February.
“Life update: I have breast cancer,” the ABC star wrote at the time.
She returned to the platform in March to reveal that her breast cancer had progressed to Stage 4 and had spread to her liver. Thurston’s devastating health update came just five days after her wedding to comedian Jeff Arcuri.
“After days of waiting, unfortunately, I did find out today that my breast cancer has spread to the liver,” she revealed in an Instagram video. “It is fairly small; however, it does put me at Stage 4.”
Thurston returned to social media again this month to reveal that she has started to lose her hair and memory.
“But right now, after finishing two months of my medication, my hair is coming out in an unnatural amount of clumps,” she shared. “I’m losing my memory.”
“Cancer is s–t,” Thurston added. “Sometimes I’m like, ‘Stop feeling bad for yourself.’ Other times I’m like, ‘You’re allowed to feel bad for yourself. Cancer f–king sucks.’”
