Single Mom, Raised More Than $350K for Her Own Funeral and Kids, Dies After Terminal Cancer Diagnosis

A single mother from Oklahoma has died just weeks after launching a fundraiser that brought in more than $350,000 to help secure her children’s future and cover end-of-life expenses following a terminal cancer diagnosis.

On Jan. 2, Kaylin Gawf — a mother to Jace, 10, and Memphis, 6 — created a GoFundMe while in hospice care. In the fundraiser, she wrote that she had been facing “a long battle with metastatic breast cancer that has spread to my brain.”

Kaylin, 28, was first diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer in 2022. Over time, the disease spread to her lungs, bones, and lymph nodes. In 2023, the cancer metastasized to her brain, and she was later diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and premeningeal disease (LMD).

“There’s just nothing they could do for her; it spread that much,” her mother, Myra Gawf, told Fox 8 Live in a story published Jan. 11. “They’ve already done five different cycles of chemotherapy, and there’s no more because her body can’t handle it. We thought we’d beat it. Now, we’re planning a funeral. So it’s just heartbreaking.”

After doctors told her she had only weeks to live, Kaylin said she wanted to “provide stability and support for my kids during this incredibly difficult transition” — and ease the financial strain on her family.

“This is the hardest thing I have ever faced,” she wrote in the GoFundMe. “My biggest fear isn’t dying; it’s leaving my children behind with added pain, stress and financial burden to my family when I’m gone.”

In less than a month, the fundraiser surpassed $350,000. In an update, Kaylin shared that she was “spending precious time” with her children while receiving hospice care.

“The support from all of you has lifted a huge burden off our shoulders and made things more manageable for my family,” she wrote in the GoFundMe on Jan. 15. “Your kindness is making a world of difference for my kids and for us during this incredibly challenging time. I am forever grateful.”

The following day, Kaylin “passed away peacefully” while surrounded by family and loved ones, according to her obituary.

“She was a woman of rare authenticity who never held back — always honest about her feelings and fiercely protective of her circle,” the obituary read. “Famously ‘sassy and sweet,’ Kaylin lit up every room, taking great pride in her signature blonde hair and impeccable makeup.”

She was also remembered as “a devoted mother, a loving daughter, a beloved sister and aunt, and a loyal friend who loved with everything she had.”