"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."
Mother Teresa
Cancer stripped her of everything including her life but it could not steal away God's LOVE, PEACE and the JOY that radiated through her. Korrine never stopped SMILING!
Korrine Lannie Croghan
Korrine Croghan was a vivacious 14-year-old girl who lived all of her life in Livermore, CA. She had a love for animals, sports, and most of all, family. Korrine was a straight “A” student while attending Mendenhall Middle School and was working hard in her first trimester at Granada High. She was a great friend to many and was everything that a brother, mother and father could ask for in a daughter. Korrine was the type of girl who would greet you with a wide smile and look into your eyes and truly would want to know how you were doing
Korrine & Cancer
On December 20th, 2007, Korrine was diagnosed with Choriocarcinoma with a germ cell element. Choriocarcinoma is a very rare type of cancer in teenage girls and inflicts less than 200 nationwide each year. Although the cancer started in her left ovary, the cancer had spread to her right ovary, lungs and liver. After the removal of a cantaloupe sized tumor in her left ovary on December 21st of 2007, Korrine, endured 10 months of intense chemotherapy designed for adult men.
During the course of her treatment, Korrine suffered many complications. In early April of 2007, her liver began to bleed. After staying at Kaiser Oakland for almost two weeks, Korrine was transfered to UCSF and spent a month in the intensive care unit. The doctors at UCSF Medical Center were finally able to stop her bleeding liver, but, not before it filled her abdomen with 5 liters of blood that had to be drained via a tube inserted into her stomach. On top of that, both of Korrines’ lungs collapsed while undergoing a CT scan that almost took her life. Because of that, 2 liters of fluid needed to be drained off of her lungs with the use of another drainage tube. Throughout her treatment Korrine needed numerous blood and platelet transfusions. She had nosebleeds that lasted an hour on several occasions. At one point, she had 18 intravenous tubes running through her body filled with anti-bacterials, anti-fungals, nutrition, painkillers and chemotherapy. Korrine miraculously made it through those tough days at UCSF and returned to Kaiser Hospital in Oakland. She was finally stable and was released to go home in late June. Just as things were starting to look up for her, she suffered septic shock in July that forced her to go back into intensive care at Kaiser in Santa Clara for 2 weeks.
Korrine returned home in late July and went through imaging scans to see if the cancer had disappeared. The scans always came back good, but not great. In an effort to kill and stop the remaining cancer cells, she underwent an emergency round of chemotherapy in early September. Unfortunately, it did kill the remaining cancer and her doctors had run out of options.
Korrine spent her last days at home with her family reading books and loving on her cats and dog. She passed away quietly, at home, on October 27th, 2008. Through it all, Korrine had a positive attitude and never gave up or complained. Many consider Korrine a hero.
Team KC
The Team KC website was originally started as a way to encourage, educate, raise awareness, and keep friends and family informed with accurate information on Korrine's treatment and progress. Family, classmates, friends, community members, and complete strangers rallied to support Korrine and her family through her fight against Choriocarcinoma. We were amazed by the amount of support we received, and it is now our desire to give back. In March, 2009, Team KC became an official nonprofit by joining forces with Kaiser Foundation Hospital. All monies raised by Team KC will directly benefit pediatric cancer patients and their families. All monetary contributions are tax deductible.
Our Mission: To help improve the quality of life of pediatric cancer patients and their families. We wish to supply children with fun activities, toys and anything else that will brighten and better their lives. Monies will also be used to help parents pay for bills and defray the costs of gas, food and lodging that go along with caring for a child with cancer.
Stay Positive, LIVESTRONG & Welcome to Team KC!
*This is the official Team KC website and the only website approved by the Croghan family. Please do not use content, images, or video from this site without permission. This is an effort to respect the family's privacy and ensure that all content is accurate and approved. Thank you for your cooperation.
A Note From Korrine (written after her 4th round of Chemo)...
Hello everyone! It's me, Korrine. I just wanted to take a
moment to thank each and every one of you for supporting me through emails,
visits, food, gifts, and most importantly, prayer. Without it, I probably
wouldn't have made it this far. Anyways, on a happier note, I am happy to
announce that I am feeling very good. This last round of chemo hit me pretty
hard, but I think that it is more exiting to end things with a big BANG! I will
try to start writing things for the blog now that my chemo therapy is over, but
until then, just know that I love every single one of you and I am always
thinking about my family, friends, and even the people who I've never met
before. Thanks for joining my battle and for making this experience "The
Experience of a Lifetime." LIVESTRONG! And stay positive.
Korrine Lannie Croghan
We will be meeting with some of the top Liver specialist this week to discuss Korrine's liver and other issues. She remains in the Critical Care Intensive Care Unit at UC Med. Continued Prayer please, for her complete healing.
Stay Positve and livestrong,
Matt and Dana
37 comments:
i love you korrine!
you will beat this battle also!
emma
Korrine, Dana, Matt and Sean~
Continued prayers for total healing of Korrine's body, and for strength and peace for you all.
CutiePie, you are one amazing warrior -- keep up the fight and stay strong!
Love and hugs,
Sue Bakalar
Hi Croghans,
Congratulation Korrine on being in remission. We will continue to pray for full recovery of your liver, lungs, and heart. Chemo can be so brutle. You're a great fighter with huge amounts of strength. We know you can get thru this! We love you all, and send you all the strength and love that we can muster up!
Stay Positive!
The Campbell's
We are praying for you, thanks for keeping us all updated. This is going to be a great week.
Love,
The Gardner Family
Hello, Coach Matt & Family:
We have been following Korrine's story all along and have been keeping her (and the whole family) in our prayers. This coming week, we will be praying the rosary each evening with a big group of people, and I want to let you know that we will remember Korrine in our intentions every night. The medical team at UCSF is exceptional. You are in good hands.
Take care,
Rob, Maria & "The Boys"
aj
Complete Healing...God hear us and heal your beautiful Korrine!!
Continuing to pray, believing for complete healing. We have so many people with Sacramento Team KC that want to have the privilege of meeting you Korrine! You are loved. Your smile and determination is such an inspiration.
Blessings & Hugs,
The Hoaglands
The prayers will never stop. You're all beautiful and courageous. All my love to you and your whole extended family, It's obvious, there are many angels watching over you.
kristi haskins
You got it.
I pray that you and your courageous, beautiful, gift from God of a daughter receive a good prognosis from these specialists.
Love,
Jill Leon
Dear Korrine and Family,
How positive you are! Yes, prayer is a wonderful thing. I am praying for all of you!
Love, Mrs. Scarbrough
I have never met your family before but have been deeply touched by your situation and want you to know that Korrine is in my thoughts. I have shared this site with friends to increase the amount of people praying for Korrine. She is such a strong, admirable girl who is blessed to have such a loving family and friends. I have faith that she will pull through this and continue to share her smile and love with those around her.
Hi you guys,
We are in prayer for all of you...love you lots. we know this is quite a journey right now.
I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from...My help comes from the Lord.
Stephen and Rebecca Roberts
Thank you for keeping us updated. We check this website daily. Although I haven't met Korrine in person, I feel connected to her by experience. Being a cancer survivor myself, I know the power of prayer. You have no idea how many are praying for you Korrine. See you in June at Relay for Life, we'll walk the survivor lap together.
I will pray for Korrine and you too Matt & Danna. How wise God was to give her such fantastic parents that could cope with this and love her and still have faith! You two are remarkable people. I also pray that Sean gets to have as normal and as happy of a life as is possible during all this.
God Bless
I am thinking of you all and praying for you throughout the day. I am going to bed in my Team KC shirt tonight and I will say extra prayers for the specialists who will help Korrine get better.
God Bless you all,
Cindy Vance
Our thoughts are with you. We know how strong you are, we've watched you score against our polo player, and you smoked him. You can do this, there is no doubt.
Matt,Dana,&Korrine,
We will continue to pray.. I joined with one of our church members for the 24 hour prayer time a week or so ago. What a blessing to pray for you all. My 10year old son and 2 year old daughter also were present. My son continues to pray daily for you (as do I), and my daughter loves to see pictures of you on the blogspot, and even she prays to Jesus that he makes Korrine's "owie" all better.
We love you.. and will keep you in prayer constantly.
Korrine, Dana, Matt and Sean,
Our prayers are never-ending!
hugs and love, kathy t.
You are an amazing girl! Keep the faith and know prayers are with you every step of the way. God listens.
Terry Linney & family
The prayers never stop.
staySTRONG!
((((Virtual Hugs)))
The Heinz Family
Korrine,
You show us everyday the power of positive thinking. We will continue to pray for the completion of your miracle.
Love -
Nels, Nicole, Natalie and Kyle Larsen
Korrine, Your wrapped up tight in prayers and love. Rest and let GOD con't to carry you through this chapter in your life. GREAT things are happening and WE will pray all day and night for your healing. GOD BLESS all who reads this.
Love in Christ,
The Gooby's.
Continuing to pray and asking God that you get to meet with the doctors very soon and that they will have a good solution to stop the bleeding. Love, Lorri
I will continue to pray that answers will be found for Korrine's liver so that continued healing can be done. Thank you for the updates. Korrine is always in my thoughts along with the entire family. Love and blessings to you all.
Heather (cargile)Heffel & family
Sending out a virtual hug to Dana and Matt for being the strongest of parents, and a virtual hug to Korrine for being the strongest 14 yr. old I've met!
Dear All,
Our prayers continue -
For the doctors, specialists and all of Korrien's caregivers -
O merciful Father, please bless and strengthen those providing care to Korrine. Bless their work and their hands. Enable them to provide the comfort and healing needed to restore Korrine's health. Amen.
For Korrine -
Dear Lord, look upon Korrine with eyes of mercy, may your healing hand rest upon her, may your lifegiving powers flow into every cell of her body - cleansing, purifying, and restoring her to wholeness and strength. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Our prayers are with you,
Glenda, Richard, & Kirra
Korrine,
We are all learning so much through your trying experience. Reading all the comments today actually put a smile on MY face. There are so many people backing you and your family - I am overwhelmed! Anonymous people who love and admire you. That must make you feel so special and give you so much more strength to get through this.
Someone spoke about you and your family keeping faith throughout your ordeal. For so many, it is easy to lose trust in God when someone you love is being tested. Kudos to you all for believing in the power of prayer and the love of God!!!
Thank you for making me smile! You have given me so much.
Wendy Campbell
Korrine, Dana, Matt and Sean,
We are thinking of you and praying for all the healing that is needed. You are all amazing people.
Love and Hugs, Julie
Korrine,
We are all praying for you for a full recovery! We are all so proud of you for being so strong! Ana and I are going to Conneticut tomorrow to play water polo at Nationals. We will be thinking of you when we win! Keep being strong and positive!
Love and prayers from,
The Rosas
Hello Korrine,
This is Greg's and Meagan's mom, Coleen. Greg and Meagan have been keeping our family updated on you and we were so happy to see the latest good news. We just wanted you to know how inspired we are at the strength you and your family have and we feel we are blessed to have been so lucky to know such a wonderful person and family. We will keep you in our thoughts with nothing but positive energy.
The White's
Gary,coleen Greg,Meagan and Brian
We love you Korrine! We're praying and thinking of you everyday!!
Love and prayers,
The Gilberts
Dear Korinne and family,
We have never met, but you have touched my family very deeply. We are praying for complete healing for you every day. We are also praying for you Matt, Dana and Sean! You're whole family is such an inspiration to so many people. Thank you for sharing your journey with complete strangers. You are a blessing! We will not lose faith!
God Bless you all,
Rick, Liz, Taylor & Savannah Stevenson
We are praying for you Korrine and
for all of your family. We have never met you but Mr. Croghan is my son Andrew's teacher at Canyon and you are always in our thoughts we will continue to pray for total healing.
Blessings
The Rocha Family
You are in our prayers today and always. We miss you smile at school.
Mrs. Martin
Korrine,
I have been following your remarkable battle these past few months. I am amazed at your strength - you truly are an inspiration!! And no doubt a water polo player! You have to BE STRONG to be a polo player and swimmer! (Your Dad coached me YEARS ago at Mission San Jose High School.) Keep up the fight! You are STRONG!
Kristen (Arnold) Linberg
Korrine,
I am praying for your quick recovery so that you can be pain and cancer free. Livestrong!
Sending positive energy to all of you.
Linda Morrison
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