As Susan Nason tells it, her brother Jay Hollingsworth was an eternal optimist — and one of the most stubborn people she knew. She says that stubborn streak served him well when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 multiple myeloma, an advanced blood cancer, in 2018.
“Jay believed with all his heart that he would be the one to beat the disease,” Nason says. “And while this did not happen, I know that he would be proud of the progress that is being made.” The progress Nason refers to? It’s her own doing, driven by dogged determination to help other families fight this disease.
To date, Nason has given more than $13.5 million to City of Hope® to accelerate multiple myeloma research, treatments and new diagnostics that can help patients live longer.
One of her previous gifts is already having an impact. Thanks to her generosity, a team led by Jonathan Keats, Ph.D. at City of Hope’s Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is developing a whole genome sequencing test for multiple myeloma patients. It’s the second test of its kind that can examine a patient’s DNA to give doctors actionable information about which treatments will be most impactful, and which treatments will have minimal or no effect. The test, named Jay.seq in her brother’s honor, comes back in as little as 48 hours.
“No wasted time, no unnecessary treatments. Just the right regimen, from the start, for each patient,” Nason says of the project. “Jay was always fascinated by the work of TGen and truly believed their work would pave the way to an ultimate cure of the disease.”
Today, Nason continues her mission to defeat blood cancers with the same stubborn, optimistic resolve she saw in her brother.
In April 2025, Nason and her family made another generous gift, announced at TGen’s annual Founder’s Dinner in Phoenix. This gift established the Nason-Hollingsworth Endowed Chair for Multiple Myeloma at City of Hope.
In a highly competitive marketplace, endowed chairs are a vital tool to help organizations recruit and retain top clinical and scientific leadership. They provide a sustainable source of funding for chair holders in perpetuity.
Amrita Krishnan, M.D., an internationally recognized leader in research and treatment of multiple myeloma, will become the inaugural chair holder. The newly endowed position will advance critical research, clinical trials and initiatives under her direction.
Dr. Krishnan was also Jay’s physician, whose care and guidance made the family’s difficult journey more bearable. Susan credits Jay’s care and clinical trial participation with helping him live years past his original prognosis.
“Words are completely inadequate to express our appreciation for her compassionate care of my brother, and I am so honored to call her a dear friend. I know that this endowed chair will thrive under her leadership,” said Nason. “She is a true visionary in this field.”