Sentara launches two 3D mobile mammography vans thanks to generous donors

"Early detection saves lives.”

These words symbolize hope, especially when they’re written across a 3D mobile mammography van.

When Sentara launched its first 3D mobile mammography van in Hampton Roads, Virginia in 2023, it brought state-of-the-art breast cancer screening to underserved communities. 

In its first year, the van screened 2,600 women, which led to 20 breast cancer diagnoses. 

However, the demand became overwhelming, and by February 2024 the van was fully booked for the rest of the calendar year. As a result, the Sentara Foundation launched a $1.1 million campaign to raise money for two additional mobile mammography vans. 

“We would not have been able to obtain these vans within our operational budget. It is only through the donations of grateful patients that we are now able to offer an additional 4,000 mammograms to the community,” said David Proffitt, director of the Sentara Foundation. “These vans will service all the way from Williamsburg to northeast North Carolina.”

One of the key supporters of this initiative is Cheryl McLeskey, who donated the third mobile mammography van. McLeskey's personal journey with breast cancer began in a way that felt almost prophetic.

“In 2015, I painted my boat pink, it was called the ‘Captain Cheryl’, and I donated it to different charities for breast cancer awareness,” said McLeskey, a prominent realtor in Hampton Roads. “I also painted my house light pink and the front door hot pink. I just had a passion for supporting women with breast cancer.”

McLeskey became a strong advocate and philanthropist in the cancer community after her husband of 20 years, Wayne McLeskey, passed away from lymphoma of the small intestine on January 6, 2012.

It turns out the pink paint was God’s way of preparing her for breast cancer, said McLeskey. 

On January 6, 2017, exactly five years after Wayne passed away, McLeskey was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. 

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Wayne, no I’m not ready to go,’ and then the journey began,” said McLeskey, who had 42 lymph nodes removed, 12 of which were found to be malignant after she completed chemotherapy. 

Left to right: Arkeisha Smith, patient experience consultant at Sentara Brock Cancer Center; McLeskey; and Proffitt stand in front of the McLeskey 3D mobile mammography van.

“There’s a lot of women that are fearful of mammograms and so they just don’t go,” said McLeskey, who recently toured the newest Sentara 3D mobile mammography van. “The mammography van is a blessing on wheels; it exudes joy and life and personally I think women will feel comfortable here.”

“The highest calling one can have is to be of service to others and to be generous. I feel really blessed to be able to do that,” said McLeskey.

'Go for it, get screened'

The two other vans were generously donated by Joan Brock and the Obici Healthcare Foundation and in total, more than 600 people donated towards the $1.1 million campaign.

Sentara’s Hampton Roads mobile mammography van fleet is now three strong and able to provide more than 6,000 mammograms to women who may not otherwise have had access. In October, these three vans booked 67 events for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“I love seeing the van, it looks friendly with its colors and patterns, and it’s great knowing you don’t have to go to Sentara, they come to you," said Joan Brock, a prominent philanthropist and donor of the first mobile mammography van to Sentara.

Brock, the namesake of Sentara Brock Cancer Center, has survived three cancers: uterine, breast, and lung cancer. In the past 13 years she’s been taking control of her health by eating healthier and getting regular exercise. 

“My son made me a shirt that says, ‘Joan says go for it!,’ And that’s what I’m telling every woman: Go for it, get screened,” said Brock. 

You can pre-register for a mammography or if you see the pink bus, you can simply walk-on for a screening.

The new vans will provide much-needed access to rural and underserved communities, particularly in Western Tidewater and Northeastern, North Carolina. 

“I grew up in a very rural area. Our physician was over an hour away,” said R. Battle Betts, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Obici Healthcare Foundation.   

“My mom found a lump on her breast through a self-exam. She went to the doctor, took a ‘wait and see’ approach, and six months later it had metastasized.”   

Betts was 11 years old when he lost his mother to breast cancer and his sister had two bouts with breast cancer.  

"I think she’d be really pleased to see this van. To know that early detection and resources are available to women who need it most,” said Betts.   

In addition to the three vans in Hampton Roads, Sentara has two other 3D mobile mammography vans serving Northern Virginia and the Harrisonburg region.

In 2024, all five vans collectively screened nearly 4,900 women and resulted in over 20 breast cancer diagnoses. Thus far in 2025, the five vans have screened over 3,500 women and resulted in 12 breast cancer diagnoses. 

To learn more about 3D mobile mammograms, qualifications, or schedule an appointment, click here.