Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation Supports City of Hope's Efforts to Advance Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Research

Grant from the Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation supports early-stage work led by Mihae Song, M.D., and Patrick Pirrotte, Ph.D., to identify minimally invasive ways to detect ovarian cancer earlier.

CRANBURY, N.J., Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation announced a grant to City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the country, to advance early-stage research aimed at detecting ovarian cancer earlier. The grant is part of the Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation's Ovarian Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Initiative, a significant, multi-year commitment to fund research and clinical work in the earliest and most underfunded part of the ovarian cancer continuum.

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers affecting women, largely because it is usually diagnosed at a late stage. While early-stage ovarian cancer has a survival rate greater than 90 percent, only about one in five cases are detected early. Current screening tools, such as ultrasound and the blood marker CA-125, are not sensitive enough to reliably detect early disease, leaving an urgent need for better, more practical methods that could be used routinely to identify it sooner.

The grant supports research led by Mihae Song, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, and Patrick Pirrotte, Ph.D., director of the Integrated Mass Spectrometry Shared Resource, City of Hope, whose laboratory focuses on ovarian cancer biomarker discovery. Their team is investigating minimally invasive ways to capture early biological signals of ovarian cancer, building on the lab's broader work in early detection and disease monitoring. The grant will help expand that research and move it through the rigorous validation needed before any new detection method could be considered for clinical use, with findings shared through peer-reviewed publication as the work progresses.

Shannon Pulaski, on behalf of the Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation, said: "Today, there is still no reliable test to catch ovarian cancer at its earliest, when a diagnosis can make the biggest difference. We are committed to helping change that. Liquid biopsy, novel biomarkers, and genomic risk models are bringing that closer, but it takes rigorous research and sustained investment to turn promising science into something women can actually use. The Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation is proud to support the researchers at City of Hope working to accelerate that progress, so ovarian cancer can be caught earlier, and more women have the chance at better outcomes."

Song and Pirrotte, who are leading the research effort, said: "This grant allows us to build on early, promising work and move this early cancer detection research toward the kind of validation that could one day support a practical tool for routine care. We're grateful to the Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation for an investment that reflects both scientific urgency and a deep personal commitment to fighting this disease."

As part of the grant, City of Hope will collaborate with the Hackensack Meridian Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention and Applied Molecular Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. Established by the Hennessy family in memory of Mike and Patti Hennessy, the Institute will serve as an additional site to help translate this research toward clinical validation.

Dr. Elias Obeid, medical director of the Hackensack Meridian Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention and Applied Molecular Medicine, said: "The Hennessy Institute was created to bring cancer risk assessment, prevention, and early detection directly to patients, and this collaboration with City of Hope extends that mission into promising new research. We are honored to help advance this work in memory of Mike and Patti Hennessy and their deeply personal commitment to improving cancer outcomes."

This grant is one of the first awarded under the Initiative's Year One pipeline, which is funding early-stage projects aligned with ovarian cancer prevention and early detection. This initiative reflects a broader belief: many of the most promising approaches to earlier ovarian cancer detection still lack the sustained funding needed to reach patients. The Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation was established to help close that gap, with the goal of ensuring outcomes are no longer defined by a late-stage diagnosis. It welcomes proposals from researchers and institutions pursuing new approaches to ovarian cancer prevention and early detection. Those interested in learning more can visit mphennessyfoundation.com.

About the Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention and Applied Molecular Medicine

The Hackensack Meridian Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention and Applied Molecular Medicine, part of Hackensack Meridian Health's John Theurer Cancer Center in New Jersey, is dedicated to shifting cancer care from treatment to personalized prevention and early detection. Led by medical director Dr. Elias Obeid, the Institute offers cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling and testing, high-risk screening and surveillance, and a Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) clinic offering blood-based multi-cancer early detection testing alongside individualized risk assessment and established screening. It was established through a transformational grant from the Hennessy family and the Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation in memory of Mike and Patti Hennessy. Learn more at https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/services/cancer-care/prevention/hennessy-institute.

About Hackensack Meridian Health

Hackensack Meridian Health brings together leading-edge care, research, and medical education to deliver the best outcomes and care shaped around the unique needs of every patient we serve. By connecting prevention, specialty care, and life-saving discoveries, we improve every aspect of healthcare, from routine visits to the most advanced treatments, close to home and across the globe.

We ensure people can count on exceptional care today and benefit from the cures of tomorrow. Our not-for-profit network of 18 hospitals, 500+ care locations, and over 40,000 team members extend the horizon of health for all. And because medicine is never finished, we Keep Getting Better for every patient, family, and community who counts on us. Learn more at HackensackMeridianHealth.org, and to donate, visit www.GiveHMH.org.

About the Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation

The Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all by advancing healthcare for hereditary diseases, elevating educational opportunities in the fields of health, science and technology, and supporting local Christian educational programs. The Foundation values innovation and collaboration in its communities. Through its Ovarian Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Initiative, the Foundation is making a significant, multi-year commitment to fund research and clinical work aimed at achieving a measurable, real-world clinical solution. Learn more at www.mphennessyfoundation.com. 

SOURCE Mike & Patti Hennessy Foundation