"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
I received a letter from Kaiser it read. We are running short of activity resources for our pediatric oncology patients in the hospital and clinic settings here at Kaiser Oakland. It would be great to get gift cards for Michaels and Target so that we can purchase arts and crafts supplies as well as play things such as puzzles and games and DVDs. Also gift cards to Blockbuster are perfect because that is located near the medical center and we can run purchase something as needed for our patients. As you know, our tired parents love it when they receive a gift card for Starbucks Coffee during long hospitalizations. For oncology families struggling with financial challenge, gas and grocery gift cards are always welcomed. So, Yesterday I mailed off $1000.00 in gift cards as requested by Kaiser Oakland Pediatric Oncology to benefit Pediatric cancer patients and their families. Gas, Grocery, Starbucks, Blockbuster, Target and Michaels just as requested. They are in need of dvd's for the kids to watch movies and arts and crafts supplies for the kids at the clinic and hospital. Thank You Team K.C. for all your support. Our fundraising efforts really do help those children and families in need.
Missing Korrine so very much at Easter time. Easter has always been very special to our family with wonderful family traditions and memories. Terry Linney and family along with our family will be making up Easter baskets for the pediatric oncology children at the clinic and hospital and will be delivering them on Good Friday. Kim Sherman the Oncology Social worker told me yesterday that a lot of new children have recently been diagnosed with cancer and are being treated at Kaiser Oakland Pediatric Oncology.
Thank you to Elaine Taylor and my friends at the Taylor Family Foundation for their donations of stuffed animals and handmade blankets to take up to the children with cancer this Easter. Amazing things can happen when we all work together.
Let's continue doing our part by doing whatever we can. $1.00 or one donation of crayons is better than not giving. Every small gift adds up to so much for these children and families. I have come to realize that in caring for these children with your support allows me in some small way to continue parenting in my daughters memory, this makes me very happy. Let's raise our children to care for others, show compassion and kindness and teach them they can make a positive difference in this world. It's not about what you get it's all about what you give.
Happy Easter! He Is Risen,
In Korrine's Words,
Stay Positive and LiveSTRONG,
Dana and Matt Croghan
1 comment:
Dana, Matt and Sean,
I carry memories of Korrine and all the wonderful work you are doing in my heart everyday! Each time I see a rainbow... I know it is Korrine letting us all know that she is well, healthy and happy watching over us and inspiring us to LIVESTRONG.
hugs and much love, kathy t.
Post a Comment