We were lucky to catch up with Jacqueline Cherepinsky recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jacqueline, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

Last year I started doing really well with both my acting career as well as my career as a historian. I was getting cast in commercials and films, but I was also extremely busy with my local historical commission and the museum that I serve as a board member and educational consultant. I have three daughters, the youngest at the time was only six months when I started feeling pains in my breast. I was spooked because a few months prior, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her cancer was not genetic and luckily she was considered stage 0 and only required a lumpectomy and radiation. My doctor didn’t feel anything on me but because I was so nervous, she ordered an urgent mammogram and ultrasound. She ultimately saved my life. I was fully expecting the radiologist to tell me I’m crazy and only 38, but they found a significant mass in my left breast. If my mom had not had breast cancer, I would have assumed my pains were because of hormones.

I had a port placed in, went for one chemo treatment and ended up having serious complications from the port getting infected. I ended up being septic and the infection went to my heart and I ended up getting endocarditis. I now need my tricuspid valve repaired or replaced. The infection also spread to my back and my kidneys went into failure. I gained instantly 100 pounds of fluid and couldn’t walk. I spent a month in the hospital, unable to be with my kids and seeing the world pass me by. Because I wasn’t getting treated for my cancer at this time, they wanted to do something, so they did a type of hormonal therapy which caused me to have a reaction that was stroke-like symptoms. Fortunately, it was reversible and I recovered from that. Because of the infection, I was on antibiotics through a PICC line for six weeks.

I had to learn how to walk again and I felt like a prisoner in my own body. The doctors wanted to get the cancer out as soon as possible, and they encouraged a double mastectomy, but because of my heart, I couldn’t be under anesthesia for a long period of time. They removed the cancerous breast first and a month later they removed the other breast. They couldn’t do reconstruction yet, so I had tissue expanders placed in. I had severe back pain but continued my journey in learning to walk again. I finally was on the mend but still in pain. My back pain started to worsen and it turned out I had an infection in my spine, left over from when I was septic. I ended up in the hospital but only for a week. This time, the doctors put me on antibiotics through a PICC line for eight weeks and followed by oral antibiotics for 90 days (which I am still taking).

My back pain recovery was slow but I was heading in the right direction. I was scheduled for heart surgery before Thanksgiving. My one tissue expander ended up getting infected and I had to have stat surgery to remove both expanders. It was a demoralizing feeling. Firstly, as women we are told that breasts make a woman more of a “woman.” Secondly, I feel like I’m in an ocean where I’m trying to survive, but every time I get a breath, I get hit by another wave. It feels like wave after wave, with no recovery in sight. I did get the best news, that I am technically cancer free since they were able to get everything in surgery.

I am feeling better and life is becoming more normal. Despite everything that happened, I’ve been keeping myself busy with family and work. I have pushed myself deeper into my work as a historian and I’m trying my best to push myself even more. I just successfully organized my 3rd Annual Historical Haunts at the Farmstead, where I host a spooky event for the people in my township at a haunted establishment. I have been in two films since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. One of the characters I played had dialogue only in Russian, so that was a fun challenge. I have also successfully created signs that appear in front of historical monuments in my township.

What I mentioned is a very summarized version of what happened to me. I could spend hours giving horrific details, but I also don’t want people to see me as a victim. Yes, all this awful stuff happened to me, but I am lucky that I’m alive. I am now cancer-free and I am rescheduled for heart surgery in the new year. I want to get better for my family and also for me. I know that might come off as sounding selfish, but my dreams have always been to be an actress. I feel most myself in front of a camera. I also want to advocate for the standard age of mammograms to be lowered to the minimum of 35. I want my story to be known because I want women to get their mammograms early. I find it appalling that most women are being denied mammograms until they’re 40. If they want one, their doctor has to approve it (not every doctor does so) and then their insurance doesn’t cover it. More women are getting breast cancer earlier, and women should be offered the means of catching it early and preventing it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Since I have two industries that I work in, both stories are different. As a historian, I have always loved history. My family fled persecution in the Soviet Union and came to this country to have a better life. They came here with nothing and created a family and became successful. Both sides of my family fought in the Red Army during World War II, and both sides have Holocaust survivors and those who perished during the Holocaust. My mother’s side of the family had many people killed by Nazis and local collaborators in an event called Babi Yar. It is the bloodiest shooting massacre of the Holocaust, where in less than two days, 33,771 Jews were killed. These included women, children, the elderly and ill; and 30% of those killed were children under the age of 8 left in the care of their grandparents.

I heard the stories growing up and I couldn’t believe that most people didn’t know about it. So, I decided that I wanted the world to know. I got my Master’s in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and began working for a local Holocaust museum. I lived in my research and work, and ended up becoming an expert on the Babi Yar massacre. I now help organize a memorial service at a local cemetery for those killed at Babi Yar. I also have my research published in an anthology by Cambridge Scholars. I continue my research and hope to connect my love for film with my expertise and create a film that sheds light on this event.

As a historian, I also serve on my local historical commission. If you go to a town and see historical signs constructed in front of buildings, I am one of the people that create those signs. I also write the articles that appear in the township newsletter that goes to everyone in the township. Fun fact, I am absolutely smitten with Nicolas Cage and I have been low-key trolling my community by placing Nicolas Cage or National Treasure references in every single article. I think maybe two people have caught on in my township. I will continue to keep doing so until my boss or Parks and Rec realize it and tell me to stop.

As an actress, I mentioned that I always wanted to act. I feel most myself in front of a camera, and I love the thrill of bringing characters to life. I use to teach in an after school program, which I was a part of for ten years. When Covid happened, we switched to virtual learning for a short period. The vaccines for Covid came out, and our family doctor recommended that we don’t get the vaccine because of our family history with heart problems. He wanted us to wait until there was more research on the long-term side effects of the vaccine. I had no issue with the vaccine or people getting it, I didn’t want to chance any heart problems (the irony of my current health status) so I listened to my doctor. My job had a mandate that all employees must be fully vaccinated. I told them about my doctor’s recommendation and that I could provide medical proof of my exemption. They didn’t care, even though I was with them for ten years, so they didn’t renew my contract and let me go.

I was upset at first, but now I have no ill-feelings toward them. Being let go, was the greatest thing that happened to me. My husband asked me what I wanted to do, and I told him I always wanted to act. So, he told me to go for my dreams and that he would support me 100%. And that’s what I did. I joined Backstage and ended up getting my first real lead role in a short film. I cannot truly explain the thrill of behind in front of a camera, and bringing a character to life. The adrenaline rush from doing that is unreal and I get it every time I’m in a film or a commercial. I love meeting new people on set and seeing other people also bring characters to life. I love learning from other filmmakers and actors. Each role I’ve played, I’ve felt that I’ve learned something new. I like seeing how filmmakers bring their visions to reality and I feel so honored when they ask me to be a part of that. It’s such a priviledge to be a part of their dreams.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Something I wish I new earlier in life, which applies to almost any career, is the importance of networking. I want to recommend anyone, to go out into the world and meet people. Make yourself known and make sure that you’re someone people remember. I was once told that, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” This is such an important notion that I take with me everywhere and in every endeavour. Ask to be a part of projects and go to different events. Don’t be afraid to shake people’s hands and look them in the eye.

I also want to point out how important it is to have great support behind you. Once again, I am lucky to have a husband who pushes me to go after my dreams. He is my best friend and he supports me. He believes in me, and that is one of the greatest gifts that he could ever give me (other than my three beautiful children). And when I was sick and at my lowest, he was there for me. My parents also have always supported me in all my goals. They push me to be the best me and I strive to be as brave as they are. They gave up everything and everyone to go to a strange and new country, so that they and their future family would have a better life. They are the strongest people I know and I appreciate everything they have done for me.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

As I mentioned before, I love feeling the adrenaline rush of being in front of a camera and bringing characters to life. It’s an addicting feeling and after I’m finished one project, I try to find another one. It’s like trying to reach that high, and each film project brings me there. There’s a huge accomplished feeling when I’m able to portray a character the way the filmmaker envisioned.

But the most rewarding aspect of being in a film or working on other projects, is seeing my kids look proud of their mom. I strive to be a positive role model for my children and to be supportive to them just like my parents are to me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jchebooks/?hl=en

Image Credits

Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center
David DeBalko, DeBalko Photography
Thomas Proffitt, Proffittable Productions
Taylor Jo Photography