Jefferson has been part of Kim and Steve Hollingsworth’s lives for decades. Kim’s healthcare consulting firm began partnering with Jefferson in the early 2000s to implement a new hospital-information system. Across three generations, family members have turned to Jefferson for medical care. Their philanthropic relationship with Jefferson spans years, as well. Through the Hollingsworth Family Foundation, they have supported the COVID-19 Better Together Fund, pancreatic cancer research and the naming of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Clinical Trials Family Gathering Area in the Honickman Center.
Their most recent gift – endowing the Hollingsworth Family Professorship in Surgery, which honors Francesco Palazzo, MD, FACS, FASMBS, FCPP – marks a meaningful shift. As Steve explains, the couple previously gave on an institutional basis. This time, he says, “We wanted to recognize and honor a specific individual.”
The decision stems from a June 2024 emergency involving their son, Michael, then 26 years old. The Lehigh University graduate and software engineer was preparing for an imminent move to New York City when severe abdominal pain sent him to the Emergency Department at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The diagnosis was a perforated colon, a condition rarely seen in someone so young. Dr. Palazzo was on call, and what followed shaped the family’s gratitude.
Kim describes Dr. Palazzo as “a calming force – confident, knowledgeable and an exceptional communicator.” As they navigated the crisis, he reframed the path forward: It was not a matter of if Michael would fully recover, but when. Dr. Palazzo made a deliberate technical decision, tailoring the initial surgical procedure to facilitate an easier follow-up procedure months later.
The nursing team matched that excellence, adapting expertly to a young patient with this diagnosis. In fact, the Hollingsworths nominated Nkeiruka (Nikki) Uduma, BSN, RN, for a DAISY Award in recognition of her exceptional care.
Michael’s second procedure was successfully completed at Jefferson Methodist Hospital in November 2024. He has since made a full recovery and moved to New York.
“It was a difficult situation, but he couldn’t have had a better experience,” Kim concludes. “We’re so grateful he was in their hands.”
To learn more, contact Kelly Austin at 215-955-6383.
Recommended Citation
(2025)
"Hollingsworth Family’s Gratitude Endows a Lasting Legacy,"
Jefferson Surgical Solutions: Vol. 21:
Iss.
2, Article 7.
Available at:
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/jss/vol21/iss2/7
Dr. Palazzo and the Hollingsworth Family were celebrated at the November 2025 investiture event.