"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
The blood drive that Team KC had last week was a huge success. A lot of the blood is making it's way to Kaiser Oakland and the small quantity of platelets will also be used by Korrine. She will probably need more platelets soon. Once again the docs are asking that the blood and platelets be type specific.
For those that are interested in donating platelets or blood, you have a few places to choose from. Kaiser Oakland gets it's blood from the Red Cross and there are donation centers in Oakland, Pleasanton, Newark and Pleasant Hill. If you would like to donate to Korrine here is what you need to do:
1. Make sure you are type A- and CMV negative. If you don't know if you are CMV negative, they'll tell you after the Pre Screen.. If you can tell me that you are going in to donate platelets or blood, let me know by Friday night. I need to provide the Red Cross with a list of names ASAP. Just e-mail me your name and I will add you to my list ( mcro1990@yahoo.com).
2. Call 1-800-669-4348 to make an appointment. Tell them that you are donating for Korrine Croghan. I talked to Janice and she was great. The centers that do platelets are in Oakland, San Jose and Pleasant Hill. There are centers in Newark and Pleasanton that will take your blood only.
3. For platelets there is a Directed Donor Platelet Pre Screen process. What this means is that you will go in and be screened and then you will go back in a few days to give your platelets. Once you are hooked up to the machine, it takes between 1.5 and 2 hours to give platelets. Remember, platelets have a very short shelf life ( 5 days) and Korrine will probably need them by Sunday so the quicker you get me your name and get in, the better.
I hope I didn't miss anything. Thank you everyone!
Matt
9 comments:
Happy Graduation Korrine! How wonderful that you could be a part of it via the webcam! So many people love and support you. I am so very happy and proud to have been able to give you some of my A-blood. Keep your strength and spirits up, as always, and know that many, many people are praying for you all the time.
Livestrong and remember that God is great,
Victoria
Hi Croghans!
I am not A- but have passed this on in hopes that there are many out there who can and will donate.
Praying for healing, strength and many donors.
Love,
Sue Bakalar
Good Morning Korrine...Praying that chemo is going down okay and that you will quickly be finished!
I also pray that you get all the blood and platlets you need to get stronger. What a beautiful way for Team KC to support you - with their own blood!
I'm sending you a surprise in the mail today...keep positive and live strong [in Him.] Love, Lorri
Hi Korrine,
Happy Graduation! A great student as well....There is nothing that Korrine Croghan can't do!!!
YOU ARE AMAZING!!!! That's all I have to say. I had this little knee surgery, that took a little more time than I'm used to for healing. It's is all I could focus on. Yes, I went to the kids baseball and soccer games. With my pillow and ice bag in tow, all I really thought about was, "Boy, is this almost over, I'd really like to elevate my leg and relieve the pain a bit?"
Back to real issues! There is Korrine in the hospital just battling away, without a complaint and with love for others! Some of us are simply MUCH stronger than others! Once Again, YOU ARE AMAZING!!!
I hope this round of chemo is not too hard on you. Keep up that incredible strength and know that we think about you and pray for you daily.
Thank you for putting our lives into perspective.
Wendy Campbell
Hi Korrine I hope that you are doing well (as best you can be with this round of Chemo). Happy Graduation Korrine! Matt I am not A- but I will get the word out for those that are ( I have a few friends here in San Ramon) and they can hopefully help Korrine out in time with their much needed Platelets. Hope you are all hanging in there. I keep praying for strength and healing.
Regards,
Heather Heffel
I so wanted to be able to donate platelets, but am A+...
Continuing to pray for you all here at the Winegarner house.
God Bless - Evonne
Korrine,
You received a standing "O" at your graduation last night! Everyone there was wearing a yellow ribbon in honor of you! When your name was called and your mom went up to accept your certificate everyone stood and cheered for you!!!!
You have brought a whole community & world together! Your faith and courage is beyond anything we could ever ask or imagine. I hope that you enjoyed watching your graduation live via the webcam. Your presence was so there!
Your have worked so hard for the past 9 years in school and in your outside activities and we are so proud of you! Yesterday, today and tomorrow are Korrine Croghan Day!
Keep fighting the good fight sweet one! We can't wait for you to come home so we can celebrate YOU!
Isa 30:15 For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In quietness and trust is your strength." Trust is faith & confidence (confident hope!
We are confident :)
Love you with all of our heart!
Uncle Mark & Auntie Denise
Korrine - Congratulations on your graduation and with attaining such high grades... you truly are incredible. Keep up the fight, livestrong and prayers are said for your continued progress through this round of chemo and for your complete healing. God Bless.
Good Morning Sweet Girl,
Congratulations on receiving President's Education Award for Oustanding Academic Excellence and for maintaining a 4.0 all throughout Junior High! You are beautiful, courageous, strong and smart! WOW! Hope you are feeling stronger today. We are sending prayers your way. LIVESTRONG Korrine. You will beat this!
Love, Janet, Kyle & Chad
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