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Top Chef's Fatima Ali Shares an Update on Her Cancer Battle After Undergoing Surgery
The Top Chef Season 15 contestant had surgery to remove a tumor in her shoulder last month.
Top Chef Season 15 contestant Fatima Ali has kept fans updated on her battle with cancer since being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a type of bone and soft tissue cancer, last fall. She recently shared some major news about her health after undergoing surgery to remove a tumor in her left shoulder in January.
Fatima had happy news to share on Instagram Thursday, along with a photo taken during Top Chef's Super Bowl-themed elimination challenge featured in the latest episode. "My little buddy and I have good news," she wrote. "The tumor and surrounding cancer cells were removed entirely and now just have a few more months of chemotherapy till I’m a free bird."
The 28-year-old chef went in for surgery on January 16. The Top Chef family has come out to show their support for the cheftestant. Fatima has recently received visits from fellow cheftestants Bruce Kalman, Tyler Anderson, and Joe Flamm, as well as Top Chef host and judge Padma Lakshmi. "Life is looking up," Fatima shared with a photo of her hanging out with Joe after returning home from the hospital in late January.
Fatima's adorable cat, Mr. Meow Meow, has also been helping her get through this difficult time. "This little guy helps get me through my days," she recently shared on Instagram. "Damn cancer can be boring when you’re used to full speed all the time..."
Fatima expressed how battling cancer has given her a new lease on life prior to finding out the results of her surgery. "I have spent my life taking many things for granted," she wrote on Instagram. "But if I get a second chance to do this right, I know now that life is all about the little things."
She previously opened up to The Daily Dish about her cancer diagnosis in December, sharing what's next for her on her journey. "I'm looking forward to getting back to work. I've been drawing up plans for my first restaurant, and I'm thinking Los Angeles might be the place. I've also been doing a bit of writing in my downtime, so perhaps that will come together in some kind of book form," Fatima said. "I'm very grateful for my family and the wonderful friends I have in my life, and I can't wait to pay it forward."
See more Fatima, below.
