Top Chef's Fatima Ali Undergoes Surgery to Remove a Tumor as She Battles Cancer
Padma Lakshmi was right by the cheftestant's side prior to the procedure.
Top Chef Season 15 contestant Fatima Ali underwent surgery to remove a tumor in her left shoulder on Tuesday after she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a bone and soft tissue cancer, last fall.
Fatima, 28, shared the news on Instagram Tuesday with a photo showing her in the hospital before she went in for surgery. "Going in for surgery today to get that tumor out of my left shoulder," she captioned the photo. "Feeling content knowing I have so many well wishers and prayers from all around the world. #f---cancer."
Fatima shared a photo on Instagram before she underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor on Tuesday.
Top Chef host and judge Padma Lakshmi was right by Fatima's side as she prepared for the surgery. "I’d love it if everyone joins me today in saying a special prayer for our @cheffati who went into surgery a couple hours ago," Padma shared on Instagram Tuesday. "She was in good spirits when we walked her into OR, and am hoping for a great outcome today."
Padma was with Fatima as she headed into surgery Tuesday.
Fatima has been vocal about how much she admires Padma as she competes on this season of Top Chef. She expressed her gratitude for the support from Padma and the entire Top Chef family during her battle with cancer in an interview with The Daily Dish in December. "All of the contestants have reached out in many ways; we are a tight group. I’ve had an outpouring of lovely messages and care packages from the production team and the producers," she said. "And Padma has been wonderful. We've caught up over lunch, and she has come to sit with me during my chemo treatments to keep me company. I'm pretty thankful for my Top Chef fam."
Fatima also opened up to The Daily Dish about her health journey after undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy at the end of last year. "It really is a mind-over-matter situation. You lose many parts of you as you undergo treatment. Your body betrays you, physically, psychologically, and mentally," she shared. "You can’t blame yourself and almost have to embrace the sickness. Just take it minute by minute and day by day."
See more of Fatima and Padma on Top Chef, below.
