"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
Korrine will be admitted to the hospital this evening for blood and platelet transfusion's. Her platelet count was only 3 She had a transfusion of 2 units of platelets on Friday.
Needless to say we are still in need of platelet's. Your blood and platelet's have been giving her life. Korrine's blood pressure is so high that she has been taking blood pressure medications to control her high blood pressure. Her heart rate remains high. Please continued prayer that her blood pressure and heart rate return to normal and that her body will not need any more transfusions. Please continued prayer for Korrine's healing. It's been great to have her home.
Contact Matt for platelet and blood donation information.
We love and appreciate all of you.
Stay Positive and LiveSTRONG
Dana and Matt Croghan
7 comments:
Croghan family,
THANK YOU for continuing to keep us updated. I know many people like to have a specific focus when they pray and you have provided that for them.
I think of you all often. I wear my LIVESTRONG bracelet proudly to honor you and always remember.
The Castro Valley Relay for Life is coming up this weekend on the Canyon track. Canyon's Youth 2 Youth group will have a team that walks. From what I've heard it has grown from last year and should be GREAT! I have to admit, the one in Livermore is the biggest one I've been too yet.
If my blood type couldn't match my daughter, Becky, when she needed her kidney transplant... I sure wish it would have matched yours. (Becky is an 0+ and I'm a B+.) for the platelet thing. I'll keep spreading word.
hugs and much love to you all,
kathy t.
Hi Croghans~
I pray that Korrine gets the blood and platelets she needs, and that her blood pressure and heart rate get down to where they should be.
I wish that I could donate, but I will pass the word on and pray that there will be the turnout to donate as there has been in the past. Everyone so loves Korrine!
Much love to you all,
Sue
Croghi, I hope you find A- platelets fast! Enjoy being home and God bless you!
Love and prayers,
Mary Rosa
Korrine and family,
I'm sending you all my prayers for as peaceful a night as possible and renewed strength from these transfusions. Always in my thoughts. julie gilmore
God is such a wonderful provider, I am praying and knowing He has touched just the right hearts to provide what Korrine needs. Our family continues to pray for you each day, especially Dean, he will swim for you today Korrine and can't wait to you can swim with him
bless you
The kellman family
Good Morning Korrine...I saw your news last night before I went to bed and I have been praying for you since then. I know you are in God's strong, good, wise hands. Rest secure! Loving you, Lorri
Hey Litle Girl! Praying for you!
Hugs,
Arla
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