Salisbury, MD — TidalHealth, Oct. 29, cut the ribbon for its state-of-the-art Mobile Mammography Unit, marking a major milestone as a $1 million fundraising goal has been successfully reached and the “rolling imaging center” is getting prepped to hit the road.
Once completely outfitted by early 2026, it will bring advanced breast cancer screening services in a convenient and comfortable setting directly to all women, including the medically underserved, across Somerset, Wicomico, Worcester counties in Maryland and Sussex County, Delaware.
Utilizing advanced GIS mapping technology and electronic medical record data, TidalHealth is strategically identifying neighborhoods, workplaces, and community centers with the highest medical needs. It is the only unit of its kind traveling Delmarva to provide this style of specialized care.
The cutting-edge mobile mammography 38-foot motor coach will offer comprehensive 3D breast cancer screenings, performed by a certified mammographer, which provides superior image quality for accurate detection of breast abnormalities. Images are transmitted and interpreted by a board-certified TidalHealth radiologist.
“With this mobile mammography unit, we are breaking down barriers to care, reaching women who need it most, and saving lives across Delmarva through earlier detection and intervention,” said Jessica Hales, CFRE, Vice President/Chief Philanthropy Officer, President of the TidalHealth Foundation.
A dedicated multidisciplinary team — including community health workers, a nurse navigator, a social worker, and a nurse practitioner — will accompany the unit to address the social, environmental, behavioral, and medical needs of each patient. This team has committed to providing users continuous care by connecting them with primary care physician offices and offering wraparound social and community-based resources.
There are currently more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. In Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women.
Today’s ribbon cutting also culminates a successful “Drive for Mobile Mammography” campaign, where more than $1 million was donated by TidalHealth team members and the public. Every donor who made a gift in honor or memory of a loved one is recognized on the back of the van — a testament to the community’s commitment to fighting breast cancer together.
A generous donation of $125,000 in matching funds has been pledged by Joseph Zimmer, LLC to establish the “Sheila Zimmer Breast Screening Fund.” If matched over the next five years of the pledge, it will provide a quarter of a million dollars annually for women needing screening assistance.
Additionally, as one of the largest donors to the mobile unit with a $100,000 contribution, the Perdue Foundation has been honored with the naming of a virtual scanning room.
To learn more, visit tidalhealth.org/mobilemammography.
TidalHealth Mobile Mammography is supported in part by a grant from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission. The views presented here are those of the grantee organization and not necessarily those of the Commission, its Executive Director, or its staff.
In the photo, from the left, are, Bridget Desaulniers, President, Junior Auxiliary Board; Palmer and Sandy Gillis, donors; Katherine Rodgers, Director, Community Initiatives and Community Wellness; Jill Stone, Sr. Director of Physician Medicine, Respiratory and Rehabilitation and breast cancer survivor; Katherine Fiddler, Vice President of Population Health and breast cancer survivor; Jessica Hales, Vice President, President TidalHealth Foundation and Chief Philanthropy Officer; Joe and John Zimmer, donors and Cindy Lunsford, Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, President of TidalHealth Primary Care and Specialty Practices.
