Top Chef's Shirley Chung Shares Stage 4 Tongue Cancer Diagnosis

Shirley Chung has some difficult news.

The Top Chef alum shared that she has been diagnosed with stage 4 tongue cancer after doctors found a tumor under her tongue in May. The diagnosis came following a series of dental issues that started in December.

"I was very calm when doctors delivered the news," Shirley wrote on Instagram July 26, "as a chef, I've always thrive under pressure. I was extremely focused on getting all the tests and scans as fast as possible, so I can start on the treatment plans."

However, Shirley soon faced a difficult choice when it came to her health journey: She could undergo surgery to have her tongue removed or go through a more experimental treatment in Chicago that had would use radiation and chemo to remove the cancer, which she said had previously worked in "a unicorn case."

"Higher survival rate, or keep my tongue?" she wrote. "I chose to keep my tongue, I am a fighter, I am a chef, I can be that unicorn too."

The 47-year-old explained that she "just finished 6 weeks of Chemo" and had many more sessions ahead of her. However, she is already starting to see some improvements in her condition.

"My tumor is shrinking, my speech is much better and I can eat most normal food now," Shirley said in her post. "I am learning to lean on others, to let go, to be more vulnerable. I am learning, I can be strong 98% of the time, it's ok to be not ok."

Looking at the "tough long road to recovery in front of me," the chef added to her followers, "Cheer me on, Shirley Chung 2.0 will be reborn in 2025!"

To focus on her health, Shirley and husband Jimmy Lee made the difficult decision to close their Los Angeles-based restaurant Ms Chi Café.

"We are incredibly grateful to each and every one of you," they posted to Instagram July 26, "our staff, supporters, and fans. We have truly enjoyed spreading the dumpling love over the last several years and calling Culver City our home!"

Still, Shirley is adamant on keeping a positive attitude throughout her health journey. In a video shared to Instagram on the same day, she cracked jokes as she shaved her head for chemotherapy.

"What kind of egg do I look like?" Shirley quipped. "A duck egg? A goose egg? A chicken egg?"

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