Top Chef star Shirley Chung reveals Stage 4 tongue cancer diagnosis and shares hopes for miracle after turning down doctor's advice for '100% removal' of her tongue

Top Chef prima Shirley Chung has revealed connected societal media that she has been diagnosed pinch Stage 4 lingua cancer.

The 47-year-old chef, who has appeared connected Top Chef (a finalist successful Season 11), Tournament of Champions and Top Chef: Amateurs, took to societal media to denote nan news connected Friday.

She shared a video and respective photos of her shaving her hairsbreadth disconnected to hole for chemotherapy treatments.

The cook besides announced that Ms. Chi Cafe, nan edifice she opened successful Culver City, California successful 2018, will beryllium closing adjacent period owed to her treatment.

The video showed her taking 2 large swipes crossed her caput pinch nan clippers, arsenic she joked astir what benignant of ovum her caput looked like.

She's told, 'You don't person to smile, Shirley,' but she insists, 'That's automatic. Camera? I smile.'

She adds, 'Surprisingly, shaving it disconnected for my mentally... it felt amended than pulling it disconnected successful nan morning,' adding, 'It's benignant of sexy too.' 

Chung besides near a lengthy caption connected Instagram, wherever she explained really her test came to be. 

'Hiiiii loves, I person immoderate individual news to stock pinch you. Since past twelvemonth December, I had a bid of dental issues, I spot my lingua severely; I fractured my bony and had to extract it and get an implant… we thought it was because I americium a dense teeth grinder,' she began. 

'And I was excessively engaged to spot a EMT specialist. The extremity of May, ulcers erupted successful my rima and my oral surgeon discovered a hidden tumor nether my tongue,' she said. 

'A fewer days later, I was diagnosed, shape 4 lingua cancer, arsenic crab cells besides dispersed into my lymph nodes,' she revealed to her

'I was very calm erstwhile doctors delivered nan news, arsenic a chef, I’ve ever thrive nether pressure. ,' she admitted.

'I was highly focused connected getting each nan tests and scans arsenic accelerated arsenic possible, truthful I tin commencement connected nan curen plans,' she said.

She continued that connected Sunday June 2nd, 'Dr. Ho, my lead oncologist astatine Cedar Sinai called to talk curen plans,' adding she, 'broke down, crying, trying to put thoughts together and inquire questions but physically couldn’t.'

'All I heard was “option 1, surgery, 100% removal of your tongue” … Jimmy was holding it together for some of us, asking if we person immoderate action that I tin support my lingua and nan endurance rates .'

She was told, 'There is different option, which was a unicorn case, astatine University of Chicago, they cured a diligent (a chef!) pinch radiation and chemo, but you will person to spell to Chicago.' 

'Higher endurance rate, aliases support my tongue? I chose to support my tongue, I americium a fighter, I americium a chef, I tin beryllium that unicorn too,' she said.

'I conscionable vanished 6 weeks of Chemo (and person galore much to go), going to nan infirmary 4 times a week for injections, it’s for illustration a afloat clip job,' Chung insisted. 

'My tumor is shrinking, my reside is overmuch amended and I tin eat astir normal nutrient now. I americium learning to thin connected others, to fto go, to beryllium much vulnerable,' she continued.

Chung admitted, 'it took maine 2 weeks of contemplating to determine to show my parents astir my cancer, only my adjacent circle of friends and my sister person known until now.'   

'I americium learning, I tin beryllium beardown 98% of nan time, it’s good to beryllium not ok. I person a reliable agelong roadworthy to betterment successful beforehand of me. Your emotion and support will transportation maine through. Cheer maine on, Shirley Chung 2.0 will beryllium reborn successful 2025!' she concluded.

She besides shared a station done her Ms. Chi Cafe announcing nan edifice will adjacent adjacent week truthful she tin attraction connected treatment.

'In ray of Chef Shirley’s diagnosis, we person made nan difficult determination to adjacent Ms Chi truthful she tin attraction connected recovery. Ms Chi’s past time of cognition will beryllium Sunday, August 4th,' nan station began.  

'We are incredibly grateful to each and each 1 of you—our staff, supporters, and fans. We person genuinely enjoyed spreading nan dumpling emotion complete nan past respective years and calling Culver City our home!' nan station continued.

'Please travel by, opportunity hi, and bask our paper earlier we close. We will still beryllium operating our normal business hours until August 4th! August 14th and 15th will beryllium nan last days for @goldbelly orders, truthful now is nan clip to banal up. This is simply a impermanent region connected orders, and we will beryllium back!' they continued.

'Please proceed to travel this relationship and @chfshirleychung for much updates—more dumplings will beryllium coming!' nan station concluded.