Meet Marwa Kilani, MD

Marwa Kilani, MD, is currently the medical director of palliative care at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center and has been a Foundation board member since 2015. Her desire to see this hospital flourish and excel motivates Marwa to share her experiences and open opportunities of philanthropy to others.

She went to UCLA as an undergrad and attended UCSD Medical School because it was challenging, research-driven and close to home. Today, Marwa has a wonderful family with twin boys and a deeply devoted husband who practices endocrinology at UCLA.

Tarek Hassanein, MD, her mentor and a hepatologist at UCSD, suggested County USC for her residency. “If you want to be the best doctor, go to County,” he said. “If you go to County USC, you can do anything.” It turned out to be one of the best experiences of her life. The hospital offered endless pathology and applications of medicine. Others who made a lasting impact on her life include her beloved uncle who gave her a stethoscope as a child and, perhaps most important of all, Bernie Klein, MD, chief executive at Holy Cross Medical Center. “Bernie is an amazing mentor and role model,” Marwa states.

After her residency, Marwa became a hospitalist through the SoCal Hospitalist Network. She found palliative care to be a good fit, and when Dr. Klein offered her the medical director of Palliative Care at Providence Holy Cross, she accepted within ten minutes. The first project she worked on as a board member was the comfort suite for palliative care. It was an awesome experience and afterwards she was certain she wanted to stay involved.

“Providence Holy Cross is a hidden gem and being on the Board gives you a different perspective about how it engages the community,” she states. “It’s a commitment that reflects my values and dedication to health and well-being for me and my family.”