[2] Swink made her film debut in a minor role in the 1987 comedy Like Father Like Son, followed by a supporting part in Paul Schrader's biopic Patty Hearst (1988).
[3] She has worked primarily in television, including guest appearances on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1999), Judging Amy (2005), and Without a Trace (2006).
In addition to film and television, Swink has appeared in theater, including productions of Ladyhouse Blues in 2013 for the Andak Stage Company in Los Angeles, California.
[7] Seventeen days after her diagnosis, she underwent surgery to remove lymph nodes, half of her stomach, pancreas, gallbladder, and part of her intestines.
[7] Swink is involved in pancreatic cancer organizations to raise awareness and funds for patients with the disease.