"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 is still at Kaiser Santa Clara and is doing well. If all goes as planned, she could be home by Wednesday. The doctors and nurses here have been great. Korrine has been so fortunate to have received great care where ever she has been (Kaiser Walnut Creek, Kaiser Oakland, UCSF and Santa Clara). Let's pray that her tour of Bay Area hospitals ends Wednesday and she can go home and rest and heal with her family.
Platelet counts are being monitored and she received one unit today and will get another tonight. The doctors want to keep her counts stable so she does not have any bad bleeds. One hour long nose bleeds are no fun. Especially at 2 am.
She also is still receiving antibiotics via an IV. For the past couple of days her fevers have been non-existent and the doctors feel her infection is over.
Again, we thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for Korrine. We also thank the donors who have thrown out their arms and lifted their sleeve for her. Your gift of blood and platelets has been much appreciated. We are grateful that you have taken time out of your day to do this for Korrine.
Continue to pray for Korrine's complete healing. Pray that this cancer is gone from her body, she regains strength, her appetite comes back, and her blood counts continue to rise.
Her spirits are up and it blows us away. The girl never complains. Never "why me". The only time we see her in distress is when she has to get jabbed with a needle. She's been jabbed so many times that it is hard for nurses to find a working vein yet she still says"Thank you" before they leave. "Thank you" for jabbing me? She's amazing but I guess as parents we are a little biased. Keep praying for her.
Sincerely
Matt and Dana
34 comments:
Thank you God for answered prayer. Please continue to heal her, Lord.
Korrine, you are amazing!!
I will continue to pray...and here's to being home by Wednesday : )
Amen. Thank you God for these latest miracles and for blessing us with an angel like Korrine to learn so much from. Please continue to heal her, give her strength and peace.
Way to stay STRONG, CutiePie... you are THE warrior princess. Wish I could just hug you.
Love to you all,
Sue
You are amazing Korrine!!!!! You continue to inspire us all, and I will keep praying every day for your COMPLETE recovery...as your body heals I am praying you will be home on Wednesday! With love today and always, Denise :-)
Croghi!!
Your parents are a little biased :) but I have to agree with them that you are amazing. Apparently everyone else in Livermore feels the same way :D. People around Sunset are always thinking about you and telling people how you are doing. I am praying that you can leave the hospital soon to be with your family. I hope you like the water polo t-shirt. That's going to be you some day! All the colleges will be fighting over you :D God Bless you, Korrine. Your positivity and humbleness is very inspiring.
Love and prayers,
Mary Rosa
Hi Sweet Croghans,
I am amazed by all of you. Please Lord, heal this young woman and keep Sean, Matt, and Dana strong through it all, too.
Hey Korrine, I am lost at words right now because every trial you go through tells me how much more God has planned for you that we cannot fathom. You are changing lives everywhere. I love you sweet child woman, and keep ur smile goin'. I still remember you in a church directory as a lil' tike and ur HUGE GRIN. 'Can't wait to c u @ church again soon so we can grin together.
Love, Stephen and Rebecca
Praise God!!!
We are very happy to hear the great news!!
Still praying and LivingSTRONG
Love all of you!
-The Sherman Family
Dana and Matt,
You are not biased....you have an amazing daughter who has taught a 49 year old woman many life lessons these last few month. We pray for Korrine daily and lift her up to God. She is truly an inspiration and you must be so proud!
God is Awesome, Korrine is amazing. I am humbled.
Hugs,
Arla
You are all undeniably faithful and brave, we are continuously humbled by your family. Love - The Larsen Family
Dear Croghans,
Praying for complete healing and renewed strength.Thank-you Dana,Matt,and Sean for being so strong. May you have only sunny days ahead. julie gilmore
Talitha Koum!
Little Girl, Arise!
AND YOU HAVE!
I'm so happy, blessed, astonished, amazed, thankful, encouraged...the list goes on!
You better keep track of these days because you have a miracle story to tell!
Love you! Lorri
Our prayers will not cease...Korrine, you continue to fight and we will be your behind the scenes warriors sending our prayers to the Father on your behalf. Stay Strong, stay positive and we will the stay the course too, as your silent cheerleaders and prayer warriors.
The more I read about you Korrine the more I stand amazed what God can do through His kids! You are an amazing young woman and we all need to take a lesson in grace from you. I am so thankful to our Father to continue giving you strength to fight the battle with such courage. I pray for your family to continue hang tough.. our God is an amazing God. You are loved
The Kellman family
Croghan Family,
Bob and I have kept you all in our thoughts and prayers and continue to hope and pray that Korrine will be home soon and make a full recovery. You are all amazing!
Your neighbors, Bob and Ruby
Korrine- Excellent news that our prayers have been answered re: your fever!! You are incredible! Thank you for being so strong and remaining courageous through every trial. I suppose that's because you truly do know the Lord is with you on this journey. He is always with you. Hope you do get back home soon. Again, you are an inspiration to all of us.
Matt & Dana: you two, of all parents, have every reason to be proud of your daughter. She is awesome, strong and courageous.
Thank you so much for sharing Korrine's fight with us on your blog. You have no idea how many lives you have touched by sharing her journey.
Blessings to your entire family.
There is no bias there! Your daughter is amazing!! We are so glad to hear that she is feeling better and we will pray for her return home on Wednesday.
LiveSTRONG Croghans!
Wendy Campbell
I guess we're all biased because we all think she IS amazing!! But, as they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! The Croghan 'tree' is amazing!
We love you and are rejoicing with you and praying for Korrine to get back home!
Love and prayers,
The Gilberts
Thank God for getting Korrine stable again and hoping that she will be able to come home and heal there instead of another hospital.
You are not Biased at all she is truely amazing and has taught each and everyone one of us to look at ourselves and the world around us and thank God everyday for what we have. We will continue to pray for sweet Korrine and her complete healing. Thank you again for the updates and taking presious time out of your day to inform all of us. It is very much appreciated! As I have said many times before you are such a wonderful family!
Stay strong and hope Korrine is home again soon where she belongs.
Much Love
The Riddiough's
We are grateful that the prayers have been answered and that Korrine's condition has stabilized. We pray that her situation improves, that she gains strength, and that she goes home to be in her own bed and with her family tomorrow.
We pray that God gives her the strength to continue to fight and that he blesses her with healing.
Happy Tuesday most amazing Croghan family!
I pray that today finds you all well rested, peaceful and ready to bring Korrine back home.
Korrine, Warrior Princess~
I pray you are getting your appetite back and gaining strength daily. Thank you for showing us how to appreciate life and how to LiveSTRONG every day. Girl, you rock!!!
Sean~
You are one incredible little brother. I imagine part of Korrine's contagious smile comes from all of your jokes. :-) Keep making everyone smile!
Dana and Matt~
Thank you for showing us love. Pure, honest, true, unconditional love.
Words can't begin to express what your family means and what you have all taught us through your grace and faith. Thank you for sharing with us and allowing us to love you and walk with you in faith.
Love,
Sue
Hi Korrine,
I've been praying for you constantly and I want you to know that there is "power" in prayer. Keep your hope and faith alive. The Lord loves you so much and he will send his "Comforter" to be with you.
I've never met you, but you have made such an impression on me and many other people.
Your parents and brother are also amazing. Their strength and faith are encouragement and a testimony to us all.
Love and prayers
To an AMAZING FAMILY,
Bring on Wednesday!!!
Continued thoughts and prayers are with you everyday!!!
XO
Taylor,Savannah,Aj, & Wendy Vasquez
Hi Korrine! It's so good to hear you are on the mend. It sounds like you & your family have certainly been on a roller-coaster lately, but your spunky and ever-positive attitude have helped lead the way. Keep living strong, and never give up. You are an inspiration to all of us, sweet girl. I miss you and am sending you lots of hugs. Hope to hear news of you at home soon.
Love,
Donna
UCSF RN
Korrine,
I am sending positive thoughts and prayers that you will indeed go home on Wednesday. I know it is where you want to be... in the comfort of your own bed, with your family and animals close by.
As the post says, you have made the tour of hospitals and I know that each one is different and you have brought your amazing, courageous, LIVESTRONG spirit to them all.
You leave your doctors and nurses, lab techs and even the food servers and helpers... with a bit of your fighting warrior spirit when you leave to go home. They carry that spirit on to the others they care for too. You make a difference in the lives of everyone you meet...
Take good care of you!
hugs and much love, kathy t.
Good Morning Korrine...praying you get to go home today! And praying for your continued healing. I'm so glad I know you. You are a treasure. Love, Lorri
Korrine is indeed amazing, as are Sean, Dana and Matt. Although I haven't been posting, I think about you all every day and send a constant flow of positive energy towards you. I can't wait for the day when we see your smiling face wandering the halls of Smith again, waiting to walk with Sean.
Hugs to you all.
Linda Morrison
aka Ceilidh's mom
Good Morning,
Just checking in to see how you're is doing... You remain in our prayers and we are praying for your complete healing and that you get to go home today, as planned. Hang in there -
Hugs and prayers your way,
Glenda, Richard, & Kirra
Dear Korrine,
Just thinking about you and hoping you and your family are home together today! Livermore loves and misses you amazing Croghans! julie gilmore
LET'S SEE THOSE "TEAM KC" T-SHIRTS OUT AT CHAMPIONSHIPS ON SATURDAY!!!
SPREAD THE WORD.
WE'LL BE SWIMMING FOR YOU KORRINE!
Hi Korrine... Sean, Dana and Matt too!
One of the wonderful things about being on vacation is that I can visit your page during the day. I normally have to wait until the evening because the school doesn't allow us to access blogs. It is a good thing because some kids would go crazy and we don't want that.
I do hope that I'll be hearing soon that you are back home. I'm sending positive thoughts and prayers for that to happen.
You are all so AMAZING and such and INSPIRATION to us all!
Get some good rest and stay strong... LIVESTRONG! Go Team KC!
hugs and love, kathy t.
I have asked several people to pray for you. May the Lord smile upon you and keep you and your family in the palm of His hands. Korrine you are an inspiration for all of us.
Glad to hear you're fighting strong! =)
Hi Korrine...hoping this message finds you back at home, but if not, I know you live happily wherever God places you. Keep letting His love shine through you and remember, when we are weak, He is strong. Praying for you and loving you, Lorri
Korrine you are one of Gods Angel's. This is Susan the nurse from Southern CA. I am back down south and catching up on you. May the Lord show his great love for us all and heal you completely. You have made me a better nurse for sharing time with you. My focused prayer today is for complete healing and increasing strength. Sleeping in Jesus's arms.
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