When you meet Cristal Morse and Douglas Nyland, Physician Relations Liaisons at City of Hope, you immediately sense that their work is more than a job. It is a mission fueled by personal experiences, profound empathy, and an unwavering belief that every patient deserves an advocate. For both Cristal and Douglas, being a liaison is about much more than logistics—it is about being present, listening deeply, and bridging the gaps in a system that can feel overwhelming.
Personal Journeys That Led to Advocacy
For Cristal, cancer care is not abstract; it’s personal. She was once a cancer patient herself. She recalls how a single phone call between two doctors transformed her treatment timeline. Instead of waiting months for an appointment, she was seen that same night—all because her doctor picked up the phone, called his colleague, and advocated on her behalf. This experience inspired Cristal to leave a successful corporate career and dedicate herself to being that same kind of advocate for others.
That moment crystallized for her the life-changing power of advocacy and connection. “We move sea and sky to get a patient the care they need,” Cristal says, describing the way she now approaches her role. Today, she channels her personal experience into professional passion, making sure patients never feel like they are navigating cancer care alone.
Douglas’ path into this work is equally heartfelt. Watching his mother go through cancer treatment in 2004 shaped his understanding of how compassion could transform the patient experience. He remembers how she would leave her radiation oncology appointments smiling, even after difficult days, because of the warmth and humanity of her care team.
As she underwent treatment in Oregon, Douglas joined the CSC Family & Friends support group here in San Gabriel Valley, where he lived. He reflects, “It was an important step to help me deal with the struggle of being so far away as my mom was going through treatment.” A decade later, he still treasures a small piece of handmade paper with gold leaf, on which he wrote down his mom’s words during one of his final support group sessions: “I’m at peace. Really, I am.”
Inspired by the compassionate care his mom received, Douglas originally considered a career as a radiation therapist. But he quickly realized that his struggles with precalculus would be a barrier to that path. Instead, when an opening for a Physician Relations Liaison appeared, he jokingly said, “I was a hairstylist, I was a graphic designer. Will you hire me?” And lo and behold, here he is. Douglas laughs about the winding path that brought him to this role, but what is clear is that he knows how to show up for people. His commitment shines in the countless hours he spends tracking down answers, making calls, or following up with patients long after their appointments.
Advocacy in Action
Both Cristal and Douglas describe their work as equal parts logistics and heart. They are the ones who will sit on the phone for hours, listening to a patient’s concerns and helping them break down overwhelming information into manageable steps. They are the ones who will personally call a physician’s office to make sure an appointment is secured. And they are the ones who will show up at community events to answer questions, reassure families, and connect people to resources.
Douglas recalls attending a Cancer Support Community SGV Lunch & Learn and hearing a patient ask a question about a specific type of therapy that wasn’t fully addressed. “I couldn’t let it go,” he admits. “I spent over two hours digging into the research, learning about a former clinical trial at City of Hope, calling doctors at USC who still offer the therapy, and then following up. That’s just what this work requires.”
Cristal echoes the same sense of responsibility. “I used to diminish my position,” she says. “But then I realized: what we do is life-changing. People’s lives are literally different because we make the calls, because we connect the dots, because we care enough to show up.”
Shared Care, Not Competition
A striking part of Cristal and Douglas’ philosophy is their belief in shared care. They don’t see their work as promoting one institution over another; instead, they view it as collaborating across the healthcare ecosystem to make sure patients get what they need. If that means calling another hospital or connecting a patient to a specialist outside City of Hope, they will do it.
“It’s not about competition,” Cristal says firmly. “It’s about making sure patients have the best possible options.” For Douglas, too, that often means hours of behind-the-scenes work—phone calls, emails, research—whatever it takes to ensure patients feel supported at every step.
Bridging the Community
Their impact extends far beyond one-on-one interactions. As Physician Relations Liaisons, Cristal and Douglas are also ambassadors to the community. They connect City of Hope physicians with local organizations—Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, schools, and nonprofits—to bring cancer education and resources directly to the public.
“If someone reaches out and says, ‘We need a breast cancer awareness speaker,’ we make that happen,” Cristal explains. Whether it’s arranging lectures, organizing awareness month events, or building partnerships with community leaders, they are constantly opening doors between the hospital and the people it serves.
Even within the sprawling City of Hope campus, they bridge internal gaps—helping connect physicians across specialties who might not otherwise collaborate. They see themselves as connectors, ensuring that knowledge and compassion flow freely.
The Human Touch
At the core of their work is humanity. Cristal and Douglas both emphasize that their most important skill is the ability to listen. “Sometimes patients don’t need another appointment,” Cristal says. “Sometimes they just need someone to hear them, to remind them that they matter.”
Douglas shares a story about a patient who worried their appointment would be curtailed because their doctor was running late. “They were panicked because it was fifteen minutes after their appointment time,” he recalls. “It was 5:00 on a Friday afternoon, but I was frantically calling the front desk, the assistant, the physician—anyone to figure out what was going on. I think I was home at the time, but I was about ready to jump in my car and drive down there myself.”
It is this kind of commitment—this willingness to treat every patient as if they were family—that makes Cristal and Douglas extraordinary.
Champions of Hope
For Cristal and Douglas, the work is demanding, but it is also deeply rewarding. They average helping at least thirty patients each month, and each story reinforces their belief in the power of advocacy.
“I’m proud to say I work at City of Hope,” Cristal says, reflecting on her journey from patient to liaison. Douglas nods in agreement. The work they do is about so much more than connecting doctors and appointments—it’s about building trust, creating hope, and showing people that they are not alone.
In their roles, Cristal and Douglas embody the very best of patient-centered care: compassionate, creative, and committed to moving “sea and sky” so that every patient has a lifeline.