KHSC announces Dr. Doris Jabs as Rose of Hope Clinical Chair in Breast Health

Dr. Doris Jabs is the new Rose of Hope Clinical Chair in Breast Health at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), thanks in part to a $1 million pledge by Rose of Hope.

Members of KHSC senior leadership, alongside the Rose of Hope Tournament Committee of the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF), gathered at Hotel Dieu Hospital on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, to announce the creation and appointment of the new chairship. It comes just weeks after the 27th annual Rose of Hope Golf Tournament raised $285,000, the first installment of the tournament committee’s five-year, $1 million pledge to establish this new leadership role.

Clinical research chairs are prestigious leadership roles awarded to top physicians or scientists to empower them with dedicated time and resources. Unlike funding for a single piece of equipment, a clinical chair position provides the time, resources and authority for a physician leader to drive innovation in care, research and education. The Clinical Chair in Breast Health role will focus on reducing wait times, streamlining care, expanding outreach to underserved communities, and fostering collaboration between health care providers across the region.

“Thanks to the incredible leadership of the Rose of Hope and the generosity of our community, we have become a provincial leader in breast screening and imaging. Dr. Jabs brings unmatched expertise, passion, and vision to this role, and I know she will help set a new standard of care for our patients across southeastern Ontario,” Dr. David Pichora, KHSC President and CEO, stated.

A highly respected fellowship-trained women’s imaging radiologist with more than two decades of experience, Dr. Jabs is also the long-time Regional Breast Imaging Lead for the Ontario Breast Screening Program and one of the driving forces behind the creation of KHSC’s Breast Imaging Kingston (BIK), a state-of-the-art, patient-focused breast cancer screening and diagnostic facility.

Sherri McCullough, Chair of the Rose of Hope Committee and KHSC Board Chair, explained how the new position will be transformational for women’s health. “This is about changing the entire system. The Clinical Chair will help attract and retain top talent, support innovation, and ensure patients have a smoother, more supportive journey through diagnosis and treatment.” 

McCullough went on to say, “Twenty-seven years ago, the Rose of Hope Charity Golf Tournament began at Cataraqui Golf and Country Club because the women had, like everyone in this room, been touched in some way by someone who had experienced breast cancer, and they were determined to create a charity. I’m so proud of what our tournament has achieved over the last 27 years. We are grateful to every donor, sponsor, and participant who has helped support breast cancer care in our region.”

Over its history, the Rose of Hope Golf Tournament has raised more than $3.5 million in support of women’s health at KHSC. In recent years, funds have helped transform breast imaging locally, including a $1 million commitment for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, which is currently being installed at BIK, according to remarks by Dr. Pichora.  

“The Rose of Hope Committee deserves a lot of admiration and gratitude,” Pichora said. “Over the years they have raised more than a million dollars for the new MRI scanner for the breast imaging centre, ultra-modern ultrasound equipment, mammography equipment, for the institution of the new reconstructive surgery program, and to support research into computer navigated surgery for breast cancer. They have had their fingers in every part of the system, and it is great to see how they are moving strategically.”

He thanked the Rose of Hope Committee on behalf of KHSC and “most importantly on behalf of our patients.” 

For her part, Dr. Jabs thanked those gathered, KHSC senior leadership, and especially Rose of Hope, saying, “Your determination and your incredible generosity made this possible and made this a reality.”

“It is truly an honour to step into this inaugural position, and I’m chomping at the bit to get started on the work for improving breast health in our region. The goal is now to transform the breast care journey into something compassionate, inclusive, accessible, and seamless from the moment of detection, whether that's through our screening or self [screening], through diagnosis, treatment, and beyond," said Dr. Jabs.

"Looking ahead," she went on, "we'll identify gaps across the system --- primary care, radiology, surgery, oncology --- and then we're going to find innovative ways to close those gaps through collaboration and thoughtful implementation. This isn't just about improving breast cancer care; it is about redesigning it in ways that are understandable, inclusive, and patient-centred."

The Rose of Hope Clinical Chair in Breast Health is supported by the work of the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF). Tom Zsolnay, UHKF President and CEO, pointed to how the new clinical chair role exemplifies the power of philanthropy in southeastern Ontario: “This is a shining example of what happens when our community comes together behind a shared goal. The Rose of Hope has already dramatically improved breast health services in our community, and now they are doing it again — this time with the leadership of Dr. Jabs.”

This is KHSC’s second clinical chair position. The first position, a Clinical Chair in Genomics, held by Dr. Prameet Sheth, was announced in December of last year, following a $1 million donation from Jay and Kendal Patry.