Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) will soon become just the second academic centre in Ontario to adopt MOLLI®, a revolutionary wire-free and radiation-free technology that is transforming breast cancer treatment.
The acquisition is being made possible thanks to a $175,000 gift, through the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF), from local resident and philanthropist Stephen Sorensen. By acquiring this advanced technology, KHSC is further cementing its reputation as one of Canada’s leading centres for breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.
“As a Kingston resident, I’m committed to helping KHSC remain at the forefront of patient care,” said Sorensen. “MOLLI® is an extraordinary technology that improves both surgical outcomes and the patient experience. I’m proud to help bring it to our community.”
MOLLI® will allow radiologists at KHSC’s Breast Imaging Kingston facility to locate and mark a breast tumour prior to surgery, so that the tumour is easier to locate once the patient enters the operating room.
Replacing traditional procedures which can be painful, restrictive, and stressful, MOLLI® uses a tiny magnetic marker—about the size of a sesame seed—that can be placed in the lesion up to 30 days before surgery. Surgeons then use a handheld wand and tablet to precisely locate the tumour with pinpoint accuracy, resulting in more accurate incisions, fewer repeat surgeries, and a far more comfortable patient experience.
“This gift is another example of how philanthropy and innovation are coming together at KHSC to change lives,” said Dr. David Pichora, President and CEO. “We are committed to offering world-class care close to home, and MOLLI® will help us deliver safer, less invasive breast cancer surgery for patients across southeastern Ontario. On behalf of our patients and their families, I extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Sorensen for his support of our work to provide world-class care in southeastern Ontario.”
Key benefits of MOLLI®:
- No wires or radiation during localization procedures.
- More flexibility in scheduling surgery.
- More accurate tumour removal with fewer follow-up procedures.
- Improved efficiency for both surgeons and radiologists
“For patients and surgical teams, the difference will be immediate and meaningful,” said Dr. Ross Walker, Head of the Department of Surgery at KHSC and Queen’s University. “For years we have been working continually to find ways to improve breast cancer surgery using technology and MOLLI® will allow us to plan surgeries with greater precision.”
A sentiment echoed by KHSC’s inaugural Rose of Hope Clinical Chair in Breast Health and women’s imaging radiologist, Dr. Doris Jabs. “I am excited to see continued advancement in breast cancer care at KHSC and am grateful to Mr. Sorensen for his generous gift.”
Originally developed by Dr. Nicole Look Hong and Dr. Ananth Ravi and their team at Sunnybrook Research Institute, and recognized as one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2022, MOLLI® is now expanding both nationally and internationally. For one of MOLLI®’s inventors, this KHSC milestone is a homecoming.
“It’s deeply meaningful to see MOLLI® return to Kingston, where my post-secondary education began at Queen’s University,” said Dr. Nicole Look Hong, breast surgical oncologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Queen’s alumna. “We created MOLLI® to ease the surgical journey and elevate patient care. I’m thrilled it will now serve the community that launched my career.”
This marks Mr. Sorensen’s fourth major gift to KHSC in 2025. In January Sorensen made a $500,000 donation to purchase a portable MRI for KHSC’s regional Intensive Care Unit. In August, he made a $100,000 donation allowing KHSC to acquire HeartFlow, an AI powered technology that helps identify blocked cardiac arteries saving patients from undergoing more invasive procedures. He also gifted KHSC $1.7 million to purchase a state-of-the art angio-interventional suite.
Read the original story on Kingston Health Sciences Centre's website.