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Michael C. Lill

1959 - 2018

BORN

1959

DIED

2018

About

University of California Los Angeles

Michael Lill Obituary

August 3, 1959 - June 19, 2018 We are deeply saddened to share the news that our beloved husband and father, Michael Lill, passed away Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at the age of 58 from cancer. Michael was born on Aug. 3, 1959, in Adelaide, South Australia. He earned his medical degree and completed his residencies in Australia before joining the bone marrow transplant program at UCLA in 1989. Michael was an avid martial arts enthusiast and earned two black belts and a brown belt. Ever active, he also successfully completed three marathons. In the last few years of his life he created a wonderful California native garden in his Sherman Oaks home of 25 years. Dr. Lill served as the director of Cedar-Sinai's Blood & Bone Marrow Transplant Program for more than 20 years. He was responsible for bringing the allogeneic transplant procedure to Cedars-Sinai, and was one of the few physicians who performed bloodless bone marrow transplants for Jehovah's Witnesses. Michael transplanted more than 2,000 patients over the course of his career, and was beloved by those who worked with him. His deep commitment to his patients will be remembered by all of those he treated. Michael is survived by his wife of 32 years, Gay Crooks, a physician scientist whom he met while studying medicine in Perth, Western Australia. They shared a love of medicine, science, nature, the arts and travel. Michael also leaves behind two wonderful children, Georgia and Alexander. He is mourned by his large Australian family including his parents Rosemary and John Lill, brothers Andrew and Simon, nieces Tori and Tessa, and nephews Charles and Harry. We thank the many people at Cedars, UCLA and Seasons Hospice who cared for Michael during his illness. Before he passed, Michael requested that donations made in his memory support the Michael Lill Memorial Fund at UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center, which will fund innovative research in immunotherapy. For information please contact [email protected] or see https://ucla.in/2usTMBj.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Los Angeles Times on Jul. 7, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Michael Lill

15 Entries

Mary ESCOBAR-ESTRADA

February 12, 2025

Sorry he passed away so younger than Mee (09/29/1951)

Paul De Angelis

August 3, 2023

Dr. Lill was responsible for saving my life. In 2002 he diagnosed me with Hairy Cell Leukemia and I was treated and went into remission. That process of determining what I had took many months, and in that time I grew to know, respect and appreciate his knowledge and humor. I am in education and we would talk about children and he shared stories about his family. I just learned of his passing. Part of my heart broke. I am so sorry. I feel honored that I knew him.

Kalev Kasak

January 18, 2022

I am stunned. From a good friend from Germany . We started to know eych other during ESTO' 80. Stockholm.

Karen Lynn Glusman

August 10, 2020

In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.

Ksenija Draskovic

October 8, 2019

Dr. Lill has a very special place in my memory. I was breast cancer patient at UCLA, stem transplant program 26 years ago.
At the time when I was diagnosed I was 33 year old, had 2 year old son and was 9 month pregnant with my daughter. Labor was induced and while my newborn was at home, taken care by the rest of my family, I got admitted to UCLA. During those difficult moments when chemo is dripping for 3 straight days and you don't remember much, the one thing that stayed with me all these years - was Dr. Lill's visit and his words "You will win this battle and we will dance on your daughter's wedding". Those words changed everything.

My daughter is 26 year old now and I am pretty sure that wedding will come sometime soon. I will tell the story and humbly dedicate a dance to you Dr. Lill.

My sincere condolences to Dr. Lill's family. I wish I had a chance to tell him how big difference he made in my life, instead my sincere gratitude to his loved ones.

May 9, 2019

Dr. Lill, whom I eventually knew as Michael, patiently answered every exhaustive question I asked him as my husband's patient advocate.. I know he had patients waiting but he gave my husband and me, both 35 at initial meeting, as much time as we wanted at every visit. We eventually were privileged to know him socially, invited to his house on one occasion. He was a brilliant man, caring, patient and dedicated. He saved my husband's life. I'm terribly sad Michael has left us.

Kristi Peterson

April 25, 2019

Oh my, I am stunned and deeply saddened having just now learned of Dr Lill's passing. He performed my SCT in 2003 after Stanford and UCSF turned me down as too high risk. He was so kind to my adult children during a very difficult time for all of us. Having lost my daughter in 2014 to cancer at 44 I appreciate his kindness and support even more with time. To his wife and children, I am so sorry. I read somewhere that grief is love with nowhere to go...He will not be forgotten. Kristi Peterson

October 16, 2018

I am very saddened. He was a friendly and caring Doctor. He helped my Mom when she had her Cancer twice. Very soon for him to go. He had lot to offer as a human being. We will miss him a lot. Wishing His family our Condolences and May He rest in Peace..

Cinar Family

October 10, 2018

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Dr. Lill. He was my fathers doctor for close to twenty years. My dad passed away in November of 2013.

My parents liked Dr. Lill very much and appreciated the care and concern that he showed towards my father. I was with my dad on several occasions and met Dr. Lill also. Our family was always grateful that he was in such good hands.

Our deepest condolences to your family. You all will be in my prayers.
Sincerely,
Deana Ford
Daughter of Jerry Mainus

July 29, 2018

The best Doctor and person I ever met.

Leo Gordon MD

July 14, 2018

A compassionate human being; an excellent physician and a trusted colleague. Osler spoke of aequanimitas - the nature of a divine gift, a blessing to the possessor, a comfort to all who come in contact with him.
Michael represented Osler's ideal.
We all miss him.

Joseph Haschka

July 10, 2018

Awareness of Michael's losing battle with cancer didn't lessen my sadness when I read of his death at such a young age. Before I retired from Cedars-Sinai in January of 1917, I was for 15+ years responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Stem cell Processing Laboratory within the Division of Transfusion Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. Since Michael's Blood and Marrow Transplant Unit was almost exclusively the only destination for stem cell products provided by my lab, he was, in effect if not on paper, my Medical Director for that aspect of his patients' care involving the transplant of such. Early on, I came to respect the profound knowledge he possessed in his specialty and deeply appreciated the guidance he gave my department. Moreover, he struck me as a consummate professional and a good guy besides. My deepest condolences to his family and patients for his passing. Honor is due.

Lana Johnson

July 9, 2018

I am so sorry for your great loss. Dr. Lill sounds like a truly great doctor and a wonderful man. On behalf of Jehovah's Witnesses everywhere, I would like to offer my thanks for his devotion to respecting our beliefs, and giving his best as a professional while adhering to our needs as a people. Ours is a non-negotiable position on blood, and his determination to operate to his highest level while upholding our position made him better than the best. And Jehovah, the God of the Bible, has taken notice of his commitment to uphold our beliefs. That is not a little thing. Thank you. May Jehovah continue to comfort you as you grieve the loss of this determined and devoted man.

July 9, 2018

I was stunned to see this obituary for Dr. Lill today. He took care of my daughter who fought a losing battle with Leukemia 15 years ago, but in reality, he also took care of our whole family. He was the smartest and kindest Dr., and my daughter adored and trusted him. She took great delight in referring to him as Dr. Hottie, to her friends. We lost her after a year and a half, but never lost our admiration and respect for dear Dr. Lill, as he did all that was possible to do. I remember being in her hospital room one day at Cedars, when he fielded a call from his young daughter. He then had a sweet funny little exchange with my daughter, also a young mother, about raising kids. Those little personal touches added between the more clinical discussions, were so very important to her and made him so human. We will never forget him, and I offer my sincere condolences to your family. Not lost is the irony of him dying so young from a disease he worked so hard to cure.
Sincerely, The Bledsoe, Binkert, and Hedegard family.

Alan Barton

July 7, 2018

My condolences to Dr. Lill's family, colleagues and friends. I had the privilege to serve for a number of years with Dr. Lill on an Institutional Review Board at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. I am a non-scientist member of the Board and nevertheless was always treated with patience and great respect by Dr. Lill even when I demonstrated my technical ignorance about an important subject under discussion. Dr. Lill had a remarkable ability to summarize and clarify a complicated protocol that would lead to a resolution of important issues. He also possessed a wonderful sense of humor that became evident in remarks he made with a twinkle in his eye. Al Barton

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