PinkDrive NPC has been selected as a finalist for the 2026 CSI Legacy Awards, a recognition that reflects its unwavering commitment to addressing one of South Africa’s most urgent health challenges: unequal access to cancer education and screening. This nomination celebrates not only the organisation’s measurable impact but also the inspiring leadership of its Founder and CEO, Noelene Kotschan. Over the past 15 years, Noelene has transformed PinkDrive from a single mobile mammography unit into a nationally trusted health movement grounded in compassion, innovation, and a deep belief in the power of early detection.
Established in 2009, PinkDrive has grown into South Africa’s leading non-profit organisation dedicated to providing free cancer screening, education, and awareness services. Operating in both urban and deeply rural communities, the organisation’s mobile health fleet delivers vital breast, cervical, prostate, and testicular cancer screenings to individuals who would otherwise have no access to such services. PinkDrive’s guiding philosophy, that “early detection can prolong lives,” is reflected in every outreach campaign, every screening, and every partnership the organisation has built. Over the years, millions of South Africans have been reached through education and awareness programmes, and hundreds of thousands have been screened across the country.
The programme that earned PinkDrive its place as a finalist in the Best NGO category is its mobile healthcare initiative—an innovative model that takes diagnostic services directly to the people. This programme addresses the core social issue of health inequality: the reality that in low-resource communities, access to screening is often limited or non-existent. By bringing services to these communities, PinkDrive eliminates barriers such as transport costs, long distances to clinics, and lack of awareness. The mobile units offer free breast examinations, mammograms, Pap smears, PSA tests, and culturally relevant health education designed to empower individuals to take charge of their health.
What makes this programme exceptional is its integration of strong partnerships, evidence-based practice, and community-centred care. Through collaborations with government departments, corporate sponsors, and civil society organisations, PinkDrive ensures sustainable reach and operational efficiency. The organisation’s mobile units are recognised as a vital extension of the public health system, providing support where facilities are understaffed, under-resourced, or geographically inaccessible. PinkDrive’s ability to navigate these gaps has made it a cornerstone of South Africa’s cancer prevention landscape, turning awareness into access and compassion into tangible health outcomes.
At the heart of this work is Noelene Kotschan, whose personal drive has shaped PinkDrive’s identity and mission. Her journey began when she witnessed the devastating impact of late cancer diagnoses in communities with limited access to screening. Determined to change this, she envisioned a solution that would take essential healthcare to the people who needed it most. Her leadership has been marked by resilience, creativity, and relentless advocacy for women’s health. She has mobilised large-scale partnerships and fostered trust across sectors, enabling PinkDrive to operate as a national force for good. Her guiding motivation comes from the countless individuals who step nervously into the mobile units and leave with clarity, reassurance, or a lifesaving referral. For Noelene, each story of early detection reaffirms the impact of the mission.
Among her proudest milestones is seeing PinkDrive’s mobile units reach deep rural areas where screening had never been available before. These moments, when individuals encounter healthcare access for the first time, demonstrate the transformative power of the programme. The testimonies of survivors who say, “PinkDrive found it early,” continue to anchor the organisation’s purpose.
Being recognised as a finalist for the 2026 CSI Legacy Awards is, for PinkDrive, both an honour and a responsibility. It acknowledges the dedication of the team, the belief of partners, and the courage of communities served. For Noelene, it is a moment of gratitude and reflection—a testament to how a vision born from urgency has grown into a national movement for health equity. This recognition fuels the organisation’s determination to expand its reach and ensure that every South African, regardless of circumstance, has the chance to detect cancer early and protect their health with dignity.