Sentara Foundation launches fundraising campaign for two additional mammography vans
New mobile vans will remove barriers to mammography, saving lives
The Sentara Foundation is launching a $1 million campaign to put two more 3-D-equipped mobile mammography vans on the road.
The initiative will target areas of high need in Hampton Roads with limited access to mammography, expanding access to the lifesaving benefits of early breast cancer detection.
“The importance of detecting breast cancer early cannot be emphasized enough,” said John Plemmons, M.D., medical director at the Sentara Brock Cancer Center’s McLeskey Comprehensive Breast Center.
“Additional mammography vans will greatly improve access to care in Hampton Roads. Community screening is more convenient for our patients, and it will undoubtedly save lives.”
Thanks to a grateful patient and generous donor, campaign gifts of up to $125,000 will be matched until December 15.
Sentara currently has one 3D mobile mammography van that serves patients in Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina. The van operates within a 90-mile radius of its base at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Va.
In 2023, it screened 2,600 women and detected 418 abnormal results, which led to 20 breast cancer diagnoses. The van travels to community events, churches, schools, doctors’ offices, and businesses.
There is an urgent need for additional screenings. By February of 2024, the van’s appointment calendar was filled for the rest of the year. Dozens of requests for visits had to be turned down.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, 20 out of every 100,000 women died from breast cancer in Virginia between 2016-2020.
Sentara also has two other 3D mobile mammography vans, with one serving Northern Virginia and the other serving Harrisonburg, Va., and the surrounding region.
Each van can offer more than 2,000 screenings annually.
Based on the Sentara Cancer Network’s screening guidelines for people at average risk for breast cancer, women should start receiving an annual mammogram at the age of 40 after an informed discussion with their healthcare provider.
To learn more, schedule a mammogram, or donate to Sentara’s mammography van fundraiser, visit 3-D Mobile Mammography.
The initiative will target areas of high need in Hampton Roads with limited access to mammography, expanding access to the lifesaving benefits of early breast cancer detection.
“The importance of detecting breast cancer early cannot be emphasized enough,” said John Plemmons, M.D., medical director at the Sentara Brock Cancer Center’s McLeskey Comprehensive Breast Center.
“Additional mammography vans will greatly improve access to care in Hampton Roads. Community screening is more convenient for our patients, and it will undoubtedly save lives.”
Thanks to a grateful patient and generous donor, campaign gifts of up to $125,000 will be matched until December 15.
Sentara currently has one 3D mobile mammography van that serves patients in Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina. The van operates within a 90-mile radius of its base at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Va.
In 2023, it screened 2,600 women and detected 418 abnormal results, which led to 20 breast cancer diagnoses. The van travels to community events, churches, schools, doctors’ offices, and businesses.
There is an urgent need for additional screenings. By February of 2024, the van’s appointment calendar was filled for the rest of the year. Dozens of requests for visits had to be turned down.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, 20 out of every 100,000 women died from breast cancer in Virginia between 2016-2020.
Sentara also has two other 3D mobile mammography vans, with one serving Northern Virginia and the other serving Harrisonburg, Va., and the surrounding region.
Each van can offer more than 2,000 screenings annually.
Based on the Sentara Cancer Network’s screening guidelines for people at average risk for breast cancer, women should start receiving an annual mammogram at the age of 40 after an informed discussion with their healthcare provider.
To learn more, schedule a mammogram, or donate to Sentara’s mammography van fundraiser, visit 3-D Mobile Mammography.
By: Jen Lewis