"Shirley Chung's Battle with Tongue Cancer"

Shirley Chung, the star of Top Chef,  disclosed on social media that she   has been diagnosed with Stage 4 tongue cancer. The 47-year-old chef, who has had appearances on   Tournament of Champions, Top Chef: Amateurs, and  Top Chef (where he was a finalist in Season 11),   announced the news on social media on Friday. She posted multiple images and a video of   herself chopping off her hair in  order to be ready for chemotherapy.  The chef also disclosed that, as a result  of her treatment, Ms. Chi Cafe, the eatery   she founded in Culver City, California,  in 2018, will close the following month.  In the footage, a woman could be seen swiping  the clippers twice over her head while making   jokes about how much like an egg her head looked. Shirley is advised that she doesn't need to smile,   but she argues that it comes  naturally. Camera? I grinned.  "Surprisingly, shaving it off felt better for my  mental health than pulling it off in the morning,"   she continues. "It's also kind of sexy." In a lengthy Instagram message, Chung also   described how she arrived at her diagnosis. "Hey, sweethearts, I would like to share some   personal news. I have had a lot of dental problems  since December of last year. I bit my tongue a   lot, cracked a tooth that needed to be extracted,  and needed an implant. We assumed that was because   I ground my teeth a lot, the woman started. In addition, I was too occupied to visit an   EMT expert. My oral surgeon found a hidden tumor  under my tongue when ulcers started to appear in   my mouth at the end of May, the patient claimed. She told her, "A few days later, I was diagnosed   with stage 4 tongue cancer, and cancer  cells had also spread to my lymph nodes."  "As a chef, I always perform well  under pressure, so I was very calm   when the doctors told me the news," she said. "I was very focused on completing all of the scans   and tests as soon as possible so that I could  begin the treatment plans," the patient stated.  "Dr. Ho, my lead oncologist at Cedar Sinai called  to discuss treatment plans," she said, going on   to say that on Sunday, June 2nd, she "broke  down, crying, trying to put thoughts together   and ask questions but physically couldn't." "Option 1, surgery, 100% removal of your   tongue" was all I heard. Jimmy was trying  to keep us both calm by asking whether   there was any way I could hold my tongue  while still having a high survival rate.  She was informed, "You will have to travel  to Chicago, but there is another option,   which was a unicorn case. At the University  of Chicago, they cured a patient (a   chef!) with radiation and chemotherapy." Better chance of surviving, or hold my peace?   She remarked, "I decided to hold my tongue. I am  a chef, a fighter, and I can be that unicorn too."  "It's like a full-time job, going to the  hospital four times a week for injections;   I just finished six weeks of chemotherapy  (and I have many more to go)," Chung insisted.  "I can now eat most regular foods, my speech has  improved, and my tumor is shrinking." She added,   "I am learning to be more vulnerable,  to let go, and to rely on others."  "It took me two weeks of thinking about telling  my parents about my cancer; up until now,   only my sister and my close friends have  known," Chung said in her admission.  "I'm growing, I can be resilient 98% of the  time, and it's acceptable to feel bad." My road   to recovery is going to be a difficult and lengthy  one. Your affection and encouragement will see me   through. "Support me, let me succeed, Shirley  Chung 2.0 will return in 2025!" she declared.  In order to concentrate on her therapy, she  also announced via her Ms. Chi Cafe that   the restaurant will close the following week. We have made the tough choice to close Ms. Chi   in light of Chef Shirley's illness so she  may concentrate on her recuperation. Sunday,   August 4th, will be Ms. Chi's last  day of business, the message said.  We sincerely appreciate all of you,  our employees, backers, and admirers.   The message went on, "We have genuinely  enjoyed living in Culver City for the past   few years and spreading the dumpling love!" Before we close, please stop by, say hello,   and enjoy our cuisine. Until August 4th, we  will continue to conduct business as usual!   The last two days for orders placed  with @goldbelly are August 14 and 15,   so now is the perfect opportunity to  stock up. "We will be back, but this   is a temporary pause on orders," they declared. The post ended with the message, "Please keep   following this account and @chfshirleychung for  more updates—more dumplings will be coming!"