Historic $60 Million Gift Fuels Hematology Program at USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Newswise — In one of the largest gifts ever designated to the school, the University of Southern California (USC) today announced a $60 million gift from the estate of Jane Anne Nohl for the USC Division of Hematology and the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. The cancer center is a part of the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The gift"the 6th largest to the university and the largest to the cancercenter" will support recruitment of seven leading hematology faculty andother critical personnel. Hematological diseases include malignancies such as leukemia, lymphomas,multiple myelomas and other disorders such as sickle cell diseases, anemia,and bleeding and thrombotic problems. The division of hematology falls underthe purview of the USC Department of Medicine. The gift was coordinated by Larry Kelly, a long-time friend of Mrs. Nohl,and her estate trustee. The Kelly and Nohl families have a relationshipgoing back nearly 40 years. Mrs. Nohl passed away earlier this year. "Because of her compassion and her vision for advancing human health, JaneAnne Nohl has created an extraordinary legacy," says USC President Steven B.Sample. "Her generous bequest makes it possible for USC to greatly expandits efforts to unlock the mysteries of blood disorders and develop new andbetter treatments for people with these debilitating illnesses." Jane Nohl chose USC/Norris and the hematology division because of theoutstanding care given to Kelly by Don Feinstein, MD, professor of medicineat the Keck School of Medicine of USC. As Larry Kelly puts it, "Dr. Feinstein saved my life." "When I came to Dr. Feinstein after I became ill, he really did save mylife," says Kelly. "He took a look at me and did some tests. Jane knew Iwasn't feeling well. She saw me after Dr. Feinstein treated me and wasamazed. That's when she decided to direct the majority of her charity to theUSC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center with very specific instructions thatshe wanted it to go to hematology for research." Feinstein is a professor of medicine in the division of hematology at theKeck School of Medicine. He received his MD from Stanford and served hisresidency at LAC+USC Medical Center and a fellowship at New York Universityand has been at USC for more than 40 years. "This gift provides us with tremendous opportunities to significantlyincrease our faculty in hematology," Feinstein says. "Because of theresources we now have, we can potentially recruit the best people in thecountry and dramatically increase the breadth and depth of our researchmission." The gift will re-establish the hematology division as "The Jane Anne NohlDivision of Hematology and Center for the Study of Blood Diseases" andprovides for: * The recruitment of three distinguished faculty for endowed chairs * The recruitment of three or four new "junior" faculty * The establishment of two Jane Anne Nohl post-doctoral two-year researchfellowships * Programmatic and research support * The establishment of an endowed research fund to be directed by Dr. LeslieWeiner, professor of neurology at the Keck School, for research of multiplesclerosis "The USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of the crown jewels of the Keck School of Medicine," says Dean Carmen Puliafito. "We wish to express profound thanks for this most generous gift and for the promise that it will be used in one of our noblest endeavors: the conquest of cancer." Jane Anne Nohl and her husband Louis were instrumental in land purchases inSouthern California including the Nohl Ranch near Irvine, where a freewayexit now helps mark their legacy. After her husband passed away, Mrs. Nohl continued her philanthropy bydonating to many charities around the region. "The thing about Jane was that she was very caring," says Kelly. "The firstthing she'd say is how is your family. She's probably the most humorousperson I've ever met." Since 1985, Kelly has run Lawrence Kelly & Associates, a money management firm based in Pasadena, Calif. A 1964 business school graduate of USC, he also spent many years in New Yorkwhere he was chair of Webster Management. "This tremendously generous gift from the estate of Mrs. Nohl will build ona rich academic history within the division of hematology and will positionUSC/Norris as the premier research institution when it comes tohematological diseases," says USC/Norris Cancer Director Peter Jones. "The big thing that Jane wanted "and I certainly wanted" was obviously tomake the cancer center one of the most renowned centers in the country," says Kelly. "I think by having this endowment, we will really give them theability to hire the talent. We need a lot more Dr. Feinsteins around."