New Breast Cancer Technology Making a Difference
At the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation, we recognize the trust our donors place in us. Put simply, they want to know that their donations are truly making a difference. So, when we are able to follow up on a piece of equipment we funded and hear about the positive impact it’s making, we jump at the chance!
In the spring of 2024, fundraisers were held with all proceeds going towards the cost of a MOLLI® system (more than $102,000). An innovative piece of equipment, this technology helps surgeons remove lesions in the breast more efficiently and with increased patient comfort. Recently, we were able to speak with Dr. Chris Murphy – and he had only good things to say. “I’m not an early adopter of new technology, I’m usually hesitant. I knew they were starting to use the MOLLI® system across the province, and I didn’t really think about it too much. But when we started using it, I immediately saw how good it was.”
Dr. Chris Murphy demonstrates the MOLLI® Wand to Mary Surette (Yarmouth Hospital Foundation Managing Director).
Keeping up with the times is always very important in the healthcare field, and this system’s status as an upgrade is without question. “I’ve been here since 2008, and we’d been exclusively using wire localization up until we moved to the MOLLI® system,” Dr. Murphy tells us. “This used to rely on a wire being passed through the breast. You’d look at the films with a radiologist and say, for example “Ok, the tumor is about 8 cms in.” But when they’re putting in that wire, they’re often compressing the breast to do it — and then when the patient is on the operating table, the breast is no longer compressed. So, you always had to kind of guess where to best make your incision.”
But now, precision is the name of the game in a way it never was before. Surgeons can localize the area of concern more accurately, and Dr. Murphy’s face lit up when discussing the difference. “It’s just so much more precise. This means less dissection and less surgery. So, it’s better for me, and it makes it easier for the radiologists to plan their day.”
That’s all well and good, but the best thing about the MOLLI® system is how much better it works for the patient. Dr. Murphy remembers how it used to work. “The old wire localization method always made for a long and stressful day, with the patient having to wait around for hours with wires in their breast until they could get in the OR. But now you can place a MOLLI® seed weeks before the operation and have the patient come in at the scheduled surgery time. The patient doesn’t need to be at the hospital any longer than they need to be! The convenience and peace of mind for the patient is really the biggest benefit.”
(l-r) YHF Managing Director Mary Surette, Dr. Chris Murphy, and Dr. Blair MacDonald with the MOLLI® Tablet.
It’s amazing to see healthcare professionals so excited over a piece of technology, but it warms the heart even more to know that our incredibly caring donors are the reason we were able to bring it to Yarmouth Regional Hospital. We pledge to continue bringing the best possible equipment to our healthcare centre, ensuring that our donors’ wishes are met. To each and every one who gave, we express our sincerest thanks!
