Sentara Health

We wear orange because we’re committed to taking a stand against gun violence. 🧡

Today, we hosted our annual Wear Orange event alongside Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD) and Eastern Virginia Medical School. During the gun violence remembrance ceremony, we were joined by employees, hospital leadership, physicians, nurses, and survivors, honoring those who have been affected and those committing to making a real change.

We know the cost of gun violence in our community. The Norfolk campus is home to two trauma centers — a Level I Center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. Gunshot wounds treated at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital have decreased for four straight years, from 541 in 2022 to 250 last year, and we hope to see these numbers continue to decrease in all our communities.

Gun violence is preventable, especially when communities like ours stand together.

Teresa Watson knew in 3rd grade she'd work in healthcare. What she didn't know was that one day she'd lead a hospital.

Now president of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, Watson recently spoke with The Daily Advance about her lifelong commitment to patient care, her journey from medical assistant to hospital executive and her vision for transforming healthcare in Northeast North Carolina.

"We don't get a bye for being a smaller hospital; we have the same quality standards as Norfolk or any of our urban facilities. The only advantage we have is that we know our families, friends, and neighbors' names when they come. It's that care with the human touch, that is what makes us so special," she said during the interview.

"For Sentara, it really is about continuing the mission to improve health wherever we are. And it happens to be that my career has always been in rural America, so it is a personal desire for me to make the most difference for the people I live in the community with."

Hear the full conversation on the "Voices of the Albemarle" podcast. Link in the comments 👇

Every healthcare worker deserves to feel safe at work.

Today, our colleagues joined Governor of Virginia Abigail Spanberger at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital to celebrate the passage of the Protect Healthcare Workers Act. The new law strengthens protections for healthcare workers by making it illegal to bring weapons inside hospitals and emergency departments.

Since 2022, Sentara security teams have intercepted more than 15,600 weapons at our hospitals. As incidents of workplace violence continue to impact healthcare workers nationwide, Sentara has spent years championing this legislation to help create safer environments for the colleagues who care for our communities every day, as well as our patients and visitors.

"Sentara and other hospital systems have had weapon-free policies for years. But this legislation gives those policies the force of law,” said Dennis Matheis, president and CEO of Sentara Health. “Our goal has always been to protect our patients, visitors and colleagues from violence in hospitals across Virginia.”

After a sudden asthma attack causing cardiac arrest left 21-year-old Cherrish Faith Rodgers brain dead, her mother made an extraordinary decision: donate her heart, liver, pancreas, and kidneys.

Five people across the country now have a second chance at life.

“You never know when God will turn someone’s tragedy into another person’s blessing,” said Casanadra Hall, Rodgers' mom.

On Sunday, Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital honored Cherrish with an emotional honor walk — her one-year-old daughter at the foot of her bed as staff lined the hallways in silence.

“She’s not dead,” Hall said. “She’ll live on through the lives she saved and through her children.”

A legacy of love, generosity, and hope.

We are excited to announce a joint venture with BAMF Health to establish Virginia's first comprehensive vertically integrated theranostics program.

Theranostics, which combines the words ‘therapy’ and ‘diagnosis,’ is a growing approach to precision medicine, which tailors treatments to the unique molecular characteristics of a patient’s disease.

Unlike standard chemotherapy, which can also kill healthy cells, theranostics identifies molecular targets unique to specific diseases. The customized radiopharmaceuticals, delivered by IV, attach themselves to cancerous cells and deliver targeted radiation over a period of weeks, thus minimizing damage to healthy tissue.

“Sentara is investing in the future of precision medicine,” said Michael Hooper, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Sentara Health. “Theranostics is still in development, but we see the potential, and we want to be on the leading edge to provide groundbreaking, lifesaving care for our patients.”

Introducing students to the future of healthcare 💙

We're partnering with Chesapeake Public Schools to give middle school students hands-on exposure to healthcare careers through interactive learning experiences at the Sentara Simulation Center in Chesapeake.

From CPR practice to learning how to recognize signs of stroke, students are exploring real-world skills and discovering what’s possible in healthcare at an early age.

When Benjamin Goldberg was going through cancer treatment as a little boy, his mom Wendy noticed something. On the days that included dance therapy or meditation, the anxiety lifted — and everything went better.

Benjamin passed away at age 8. But what Wendy witnessed never left her.

When she was diagnosed with a stage 4 cancer herself, Wendy believes the combination of traditional treatments and non-clinical activities saved her life.

“I had less than a 30% chance to survive 5 years ago, and now I have no cancer,” she said. “So, I do believe that the integration of non-medical interventions truly works.”

Now, through the Benjamin Goldberg Foundation, she's partnering with Sentara on one of the 1st studies in the U.S. to formally examine how art and music therapy affect cancer patients — including whether those interventions reduce the need for hospital services. The hope is that the data will help expand social and financial support for these activities.

The year-long study is recruiting participants in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region now! Learn more at the link in the comments 👇

Helping patients stay ahead of heart failure 💙

Our team is now using innovative monitoring technology to better manage heart failure and reduce hospital visits. Chelsea Christensen, PA-C at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, recently shared insights on this approach at the annual American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

It’s one more way we are using data and technology to support better outcomes for our patients.

Making care more accessible for our school communities in Elizabeth City 💙

Pasquotank County High School now has a telehealth clinic directly on campus, connecting students and staff with licensed medical providers through virtual visits.

This milestone reflects Sentara’s first school-based telehealth program in North Carolina and a growing partnership with Truist to bring care closer to the communities we serve.

It’s all about removing barriers to care and supporting healthier students, stronger schools, and better outcomes.