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New Rochelle resident Jaclyn Dinko, a mother to two 10-year-old twins and registered nurse who appeared on the Food Network show "Cake Wars" in October 2016, is now facing terminal Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and has started a GoFundMe to ask for help financially preparing her family to get by after she is gone, according to her fundraiser.
Dinko started baking during her maternity leave after having her twins and discovered that she had quite a passion for it. She started recreating her grandmother's family recipe into cupcake form, resulting in unique flavors such as pineapple coconut, Italian rainbow cookie, cannoli, and peanut butter cup.
Eventually, after experimenting with cakes and taking lessons from top artists in the industry, Dinko made her appearance on the show. She also started Cake'D OUT Creations, specializing in party and wedding cakes. Additionally, she started volunteering for a non-profit called Icing Smiles, baking cakes for families affected by childhood illnesses.
Now, after years of volunteering and giving back to her community, Dinko is asking for help.
"Living with this diagnosis and having a family has been extremely difficult for me physically and mentally/emotionally. My children are not yet aware or ready to understand that they will be losing their mom. This [GoFundMe] is for my family, and I need to prepare for the future rather than wait until it is too late," Dinko said on her fundraiser page.
A cancer survivor who was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkins lymphoma when she was 17 and was then cancer-free for 20 years, Dinko, now 41, said that it was hard to make the decision to ask others for help when she was once again diagnosed with the disease.
"I have been struggling tremendously with figuring out what I can do to help my family. I am struggling mentally and trying my best to handle as much as possible without falling apart. But I have reached a point where I can no longer fake that I am ok, and I need to swallow my pride and ask. Not for me but for my family. They are the only reason I am still here and my only motivation to keep going and not give up," she said.
As of Monday, Dec. 19, more than $25,000 had been raised for Dinko, halfway to her goal of $50,000.
All funds raised will go towards medical costs not covered by insurance, as well as end-of-life care and services, Dinko said.
"It is essential to me to be able to leave my family with less stress and financial worries when I am gone," she said.
Those wishing to donate to Dinko can do so by clicking here.
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