Brave ‘Marina prayed for everyone who helped her out’
By Mary Dennehy
‘THANK you’ is the message to the community from the family of Marina Jordan Killoran, a mother-of-two who was given three special years with her loved ones following the public’s support.
Marina, who passed away peacefully in May, received overwhelming support from the community back in 2016, when hundreds of people united to help raise €110,000 in three months for treatment.
Marina Jordan Killoran, who sadly passed away pictured with her husband Alan
Growing up in Old Bawn, Marina was diagnosed in 2010 with systemic scleroderma, a chronic, progressive, and incurable auto immune disease which results in scar tissue building up on the lungs, heart, kidneys and liver.
Due to her illness, Marina experienced extreme joint pain, difficulty swallowing, chronic fatigue and limited mobility that saw her spend 23 hours a day in bed.
On July 26 2016, at the age of 45, Marina underwent a form of stem cell treatment in a Chicago hospital, after members of the public raised more than €170,000 to get her there.
After the treatment, which used Marina’s own stem cells to reboot her system, the mother-of-two experienced a new quality of life – which saw her walking on her own, managing stairs and holding a pen again.
Speaking with The Echo this week, Marina’s husband Alan, who is from Millbrook Lawns, said: “Marina had a lot more movement, her mobility was much better and her digestion improved.
“However, the damage done to her lungs before the treatment was just too much.
“While the rest of her body improved, there was too much scare tissue building up on her lungs.
“Through it all Marina maintained her positivity and was quite devote in her faith, which was a huge help to her.”
Marina passed away peacefully at the family’s home in Kildare on Monday, May 17, just three weeks before her 51st birthday.
“Marina passed away in our arms, myself and our two girls cradling her,” Alan said.
“She passed away very peacefully, surrounded by her family…and we played all of her favourite music.
“The house now seems so empty, our lives have been forever changed, but Marina’s passing at home with her family is everything she would have wished for.
“The palliative care nurse did wonders, and we’d like to thank her.”
Speaking with The Echo, Alan wished to thank the community for its support and generosity in helping to raise the money needed for treatment.
He also expressed the family’s gratitude for people’s kindness and prayers, stressing the huge impact everyone’s support made to Marina.
“Marina prayed for everyone who helped her out, she was so appreciative of how people rallied around and helped her,” Alan said.
“Personally, I can never express my thanks to everyone.
“Thanks to the community’s support, Marina got three years of quality living.
“She could do things we all take for granted, like getting up and going down the stairs.
“Without the community’s support, this would not have happened, and we’re very grateful for that, grateful for that extra time.
“I really can’t stress how incredible people have been.
“People’s emails, letters, reaching out…it was so encouraging.
“It has given me confidence in the goodness of people.
“When somebody is ill it’s a very lonely road.
“However, when you have so many people, you feel like everyone has your back, it spurs you on, it spurred Marina on.
“Everyone encouraged Marina, the prayers, the good wishes… it was incredible, and it got us through.
“Thank you.”
