October 1, 2025 • 13 mins
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re sitting down with Dona Miller, a mammogram technologist at MedLink Georgia, to talk about the importance of mammograms, what to expect during the process, and how early detection can save lives.
Dona helps clear up common myths, explains when to start screenings, and shares tips to make the experience more comfortable. Whether it’s your first mammogram or a reminder to schedule your next one, this episode is all about empowering you with knowledge and easing any fears.
Schedule your mammogram at MedLink Winder Imaging in Winder or MedLink Banks Imaging in Commerce by calling 706-521-4967.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Friends.
And today we're joined by DonnaMiller, one of our amazing
mammogram techs here at Medlink,Georgia.
She's going to walk us throughwhy mammograms are so important,
what to expect during theprocess, and how they save
lives.
Donna, would you start byintroducing yourself, maybe
sharing how long you've been inthe field and what you love
about the work you do?
SPEAKER_01 (00:23):
Thanks for having me.
Um I am Donna Miller.
I work here at Medlink BanksImaging, doing the mammograms.
Uh I have I have been doingmammograms for 21 years now and
have been an X-ray technologistfor over 30.
I'm originally um from SouthGeorgia and moved up here to be
(00:45):
able to do imaging.
And I love to do the mammograms.
I meet great patients.
I love the connections that weget, and I always like to have a
good time with my patients.
I like the connection that wehave.
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
That's wonderful.
Let's dive into the why.
Why are mammograms so importantfor women's health?
SPEAKER_01 (01:07):
They're important uh to be able to find breast cancer
at the smallest size that we canso that it you for treatments it
reduces the amount of treatmentsthat you have.
The smaller we find, the lesschance of having major surgery
(01:28):
or even uh lots of chemo orradiation.
It helps cut down on thosethings.
SPEAKER_00 (01:35):
Awesome.
And are there any common mythsor misconceptions about
mammograms that you'd like toclear up right away?
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
Yes, there are.
It's no longer that you needmammograms just because you have
family history.
We're finding more and morepeople with no family history
are actually getting diagnosedwith breast cancer.
There's a couple of other thingswith the 3D that we do nowadays.
(02:04):
Our machines do 3D and the oldway, which was called 2D.
So you're getting twice theamount of pictures for the
radiologist to read.
And the radiation level is verylow.
It's almost considered comparingit to riding in an airplane for
two to three hours.
(02:25):
You get more radiation doingthat than the mammograms.
SPEAKER_00 (02:28):
That makes a lot of sense.
So let's talk about the who atwhat age should someone start
getting regular mammograms?
SPEAKER_01 (02:36):
If there's no history being your mother or
sister, then you would start ona normal routine at 40.
We still recommend it.
The American College ofRadiology still recommends every
year.
And again, it goes back to ifwe're doing it every year, then
(02:56):
if we can find something, we'refinding it at the smallest that
we could possibly find it,meaning better outcomes and
easier treatment pattern uhpaths.
SPEAKER_00 (03:06):
Okay.
And if you do have familyhistory, how often should
someone get screened then?
SPEAKER_01 (03:12):
The only thing that changes with family history is
we look at the mother or asister, and normally it's the
mother that you look at.
If your mom was diagnosed at theage of 35, you would start at
25.
So it's 10 years prior to whenyour mother was diagnosed.
(03:33):
If it's a grandmother, an aunt,anything like that, you can
still wait until you're 40 andstart every year from there on.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
Okay, let's shift to the actual experience.
Can you walk us through whathappens during a mammogram step
by step so patients know what toexpect?
SPEAKER_01 (03:49):
Um, once you come back, we have you change from
the waist up, taking thoseclothes off.
We also make sure you don't haveany deodorant.
Deodorant can show up on ourpictures like little white dots
and raises flags for ourradiologists who are the ones
who read our exams.
And we don't want to raise anyflags that we don't need to.
(04:12):
We would then have we can onlydo imaging on one breast at a
time.
We can't put them both up thereat the same time to be able to
do our images.
We lay you on a flat surface,the breast on a flat surface,
and we do have a paddle thatcomes down.
We ask that you let us know ifyou're having any pain, tugging,
(04:36):
just to try to keep everythingno more than uncomfortable for
you.
Our paddles now on the manogrammachines now flex a little bit
so it does give with your breastwhen we're doing the
compression.
We'll get you compressed in theposition that we need you.
We go behind, we take thepictures.
You'll see the top of themachine move from one side to
(04:58):
the other and then back to themiddle.
When it's moving back and forth,that's when it's doing the 3D
images.
And when it comes back up to thetop and it's just straight on,
then that's when it's doing the2D image.
And then we submit the wholething to the radiologist.
We have to get at least twopictures on each side.
(05:19):
And whenever we do our pictures,we always have to look and make
sure it meets all theserequirements.
If they do, then we can submitthem to the radiologist.
If not, then we'll repeat andget what we miss so that we make
sure everything is covered.
SPEAKER_00 (05:35):
Oh, okay.
I know a lot of people do worryabout that discomfort feeling.
So could you describe how itfeels and if there is anything
patients can do to make iteasier?
SPEAKER_01 (05:49):
Um, it is a it is a probably something that once
you've had it done, you knowthat it's uncomfortable.
It's just a weird exam to havedone because no one, I tease my
patients, no one goes aroundsqueezing your breast like this,
not even yourself.
So in saying that, it is a it'sodd to have it done.
(06:13):
I don't know that I could trulydescribe it.
The best thing I can say forpatients, if you normally have
tender breast, usually aboutonce a month, or just in
general, and you drink a lot ofcaffeine, cutting back on that
caffeine for about a week beforeyou have your mammogram will
(06:34):
help the discomfort as well.
Good advice.
SPEAKER_00 (06:37):
How long does the average appointment usually take
from start to finish?
SPEAKER_01 (06:41):
Getting you back from the dressing from the
waiting room and back out to thewaiting room, if everything just
goes really easy, which itnormally does, then it's about a
20-minute exam.
You're only in the room maybe 10minutes, 10 to 12 minutes to
actually get the imaging done.
SPEAKER_00 (07:02):
Okay.
And how soon after you're donedo patients usually get their
results?
SPEAKER_01 (07:10):
If a patient has priors, we'll have to get those.
So that kind of factors intowhen our results turnaround.
If it's a baseline or you've hadit here with us before, then we
can have it back to your doctorsin 24 to 48 hours.
If we have to get priors, thenwe request those.
You don't have to worry aboutthat.
(07:31):
So that doesn't need to be aconcern of not getting coming to
us to have your mammograms done.
But we would request those.
And once we get those, it'll bea 24 to 48 hour turnaround once
those come in.
SPEAKER_00 (07:45):
If the radiologist sees something unusual, what
happens next?
SPEAKER_01 (07:50):
And a radiologist sees something that raises a
flag.
We would then call you and letyou know what the radiologist is
recommending.
Two of the things that theywould recommend is extra imaging
under mammogram.
It's not because we didn't getwhat they need.
Now they want to get in aspecific area so it's more
detailed in the area that theradiologist saw a flag.
(08:14):
The other option that they cando is not only the mammogram
images, but ultrasound is alsoused to pinpoint those areas to
see if what they're seeing isactually fluid or solid areas
that they're looking at, meaninga cyst and lymph node, or is it
truly something to be concernedabout?
SPEAKER_00 (08:38):
So with results, are false alarms kind of common and
how should patients handle thememotionally?
SPEAKER_01 (08:49):
The false alarms, uh, it could we could see
something on the mammogram thatis like a sister and lymph node,
but if we didn't see it on yourpriors, or this is your new one,
your first one, those do raiseflags.
So going in knowing that nomatter what we see, one we can't
(09:10):
determine what it is, we needhelp determining that.
It's not unusual.
For every thousand patients wedo, we get about 15 back saying
that we need extra imaging.
So it's not a high rate.
But remember, just because wesaw something on the or the
(09:32):
radiologist saw something on theimages does not mean they
automatically thought it wasbad.
That's why we have to do theextra imaging to see if you need
to go to the next step.
SPEAKER_00 (09:44):
Here's a question for you that might surprise
people.
Do men ever need mammograms?
SPEAKER_01 (09:50):
We do mammograms on men.
Majority of the time it'sbecause they feel a lump.
Okay.
And we would do imaging, wewould do a mammogram, extra
pictures on them, and then theywould get an ultrasound.
In my years of doing mammogram,I do have been with patients who
have had brothers who have hadbreast cancer.
(10:14):
So they have to get a screeningdone every year just as if it
was their mother.
Oh wow.
Okay.
So there are a few times wherethey're just not as common.
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
Every October we see a big push for mammograms, but
some people still delay gettingthem.
What are the most common reasonsfor putting it off, and how can
we help address those fears?
SPEAKER_01 (10:35):
A lot of them always fear that it's going to hurt so
much.
With in the old days, it reallydid hurt.
But with the technology changesand company, mammogram companies
are really trying to make itmore tolerable for all the
patients.
I think the biggest thing theycan remember is to tell the
(10:57):
technologist that it's hurting.
Try not to grin and bear it.
The other is people think that,well, I don't have family
history, so I'm okay to delayit.
And that's the worst thing youcan do because we're finding
out, as I said before, we'rediagnosing a lot of people who
have never had family history.
SPEAKER_00 (11:18):
And how can friends or family encourage their loved
ones to keep up with regularscreenings?
SPEAKER_01 (11:24):
Women like to help each other out, especially when
you're related, friends.
Um, I think the best suggestionI can give is make it a whole
time that you get to dotogether.
If you if both people are ofage, like friends or even a
mother-daughter, we have thathappen.
(11:44):
Come together, have it done.
Afterwards, go out for lunch orgo down the road and go
shopping.
Make it an event that you get todo together, because it's always
great to you know be in miserytogether.
SPEAKER_00 (11:57):
Yeah, that's it.
SPEAKER_01 (11:59):
It gives them something to look forward to
afterwards.
And there's that becomes abonding moment, whether it's
friends or family.
SPEAKER_00 (12:08):
I love that idea of making it a bonding experience.
So before we wrap up, if youcould tell every listener one
thing about mammograms, whatwould it be?
SPEAKER_01 (12:18):
I think my best thing is don't delay.
Um, they're not as bad as theyused to be.
And just come in with a smilefor your tech, your
technologists, and it makes thewhole atmosphere better.
SPEAKER_00 (12:35):
Thank you so much for joining us today.
I hope this conversation helpsour listeners feel more
comfortable and confident aboutscheduling their mammogram.
If you are ready to make yourappointment, Medlink offers
imaging services at twoconvenient locations, Medlink
Winder Imaging in Winder,Georgia, and Medlink Banks
Imaging in Commerce, Georgia.
You can call us at 706-521-4967to schedule.
(13:02):
We accept most major insuranceplans and we're here to make the
process as easy as possible.
Remember, early detection saveslives.
Thank you for tuning in to theMedlink Health Connections
podcast.
We hope you found today'sepisode informative and
inspiring.
If you enjoyed the show, pleasesubscribe, rate, and leave a
review on your favorite podcastplatform.
(13:25):
Remember, the information sharedin this podcast is for
educational purposes only andshould not replace professional
medical advice.
Always consult with yourhealthcare provider for any
medical concerns.
Stay connected with us on socialmedia and visit our website at
medlinkga.org for more resourcesand updates.
Until next time, stay healthyand take care.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Friends.
And today we're joined by DonnaMiller, one of our amazing
mammogram techs here at Medlink,Georgia.
She's going to walk us throughwhy mammograms are so important,
what to expect during theprocess, and how they save
lives.
Donna, would you start byintroducing yourself, maybe
sharing how long you've been inthe field and what you love
about the work you do?
SPEAKER_01 (00:23):
Thanks for having me.
Um I am Donna Miller.
I work here at Medlink BanksImaging, doing the mammograms.
Uh I have I have been doingmammograms for 21 years now and
have been an X-ray technologistfor over 30.
I'm originally um from SouthGeorgia and moved up here to be
(00:45):
able to do imaging.
And I love to do the mammograms.
I meet great patients.
I love the connections that weget, and I always like to have a
good time with my patients.
I like the connection that wehave.
SPEAKER_00 (01:01):
That's wonderful.
Let's dive into the why.
Why are mammograms so importantfor women's health?
SPEAKER_01 (01:07):
They're important uh to be able to find breast cancer
at the smallest size that we canso that it you for treatments it
reduces the amount of treatmentsthat you have.
The smaller we find, the lesschance of having major surgery
(01:28):
or even uh lots of chemo orradiation.
It helps cut down on thosethings.
SPEAKER_00 (01:35):
Awesome.
And are there any common mythsor misconceptions about
mammograms that you'd like toclear up right away?
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
Yes, there are.
It's no longer that you needmammograms just because you have
family history.
We're finding more and morepeople with no family history
are actually getting diagnosedwith breast cancer.
There's a couple of other thingswith the 3D that we do nowadays.
(02:04):
Our machines do 3D and the oldway, which was called 2D.
So you're getting twice theamount of pictures for the
radiologist to read.
And the radiation level is verylow.
It's almost considered comparingit to riding in an airplane for
two to three hours.
(02:25):
You get more radiation doingthat than the mammograms.
SPEAKER_00 (02:28):
That makes a lot of sense.
So let's talk about the who atwhat age should someone start
getting regular mammograms?
SPEAKER_01 (02:36):
If there's no history being your mother or
sister, then you would start ona normal routine at 40.
We still recommend it.
The American College ofRadiology still recommends every
year.
And again, it goes back to ifwe're doing it every year, then
(02:56):
if we can find something, we'refinding it at the smallest that
we could possibly find it,meaning better outcomes and
easier treatment pattern uhpaths.
SPEAKER_00 (03:06):
Okay.
And if you do have familyhistory, how often should
someone get screened then?
SPEAKER_01 (03:12):
The only thing that changes with family history is
we look at the mother or asister, and normally it's the
mother that you look at.
If your mom was diagnosed at theage of 35, you would start at
25.
So it's 10 years prior to whenyour mother was diagnosed.
(03:33):
If it's a grandmother, an aunt,anything like that, you can
still wait until you're 40 andstart every year from there on.
SPEAKER_00 (03:40):
Okay, let's shift to the actual experience.
Can you walk us through whathappens during a mammogram step
by step so patients know what toexpect?
SPEAKER_01 (03:49):
Um, once you come back, we have you change from
the waist up, taking thoseclothes off.
We also make sure you don't haveany deodorant.
Deodorant can show up on ourpictures like little white dots
and raises flags for ourradiologists who are the ones
who read our exams.
And we don't want to raise anyflags that we don't need to.
(04:12):
We would then have we can onlydo imaging on one breast at a
time.
We can't put them both up thereat the same time to be able to
do our images.
We lay you on a flat surface,the breast on a flat surface,
and we do have a paddle thatcomes down.
We ask that you let us know ifyou're having any pain, tugging,
(04:36):
just to try to keep everythingno more than uncomfortable for
you.
Our paddles now on the manogrammachines now flex a little bit
so it does give with your breastwhen we're doing the
compression.
We'll get you compressed in theposition that we need you.
We go behind, we take thepictures.
You'll see the top of themachine move from one side to
(04:58):
the other and then back to themiddle.
When it's moving back and forth,that's when it's doing the 3D
images.
And when it comes back up to thetop and it's just straight on,
then that's when it's doing the2D image.
And then we submit the wholething to the radiologist.
We have to get at least twopictures on each side.
(05:19):
And whenever we do our pictures,we always have to look and make
sure it meets all theserequirements.
If they do, then we can submitthem to the radiologist.
If not, then we'll repeat andget what we miss so that we make
sure everything is covered.
SPEAKER_00 (05:35):
Oh, okay.
I know a lot of people do worryabout that discomfort feeling.
So could you describe how itfeels and if there is anything
patients can do to make iteasier?
SPEAKER_01 (05:49):
Um, it is a it is a probably something that once
you've had it done, you knowthat it's uncomfortable.
It's just a weird exam to havedone because no one, I tease my
patients, no one goes aroundsqueezing your breast like this,
not even yourself.
So in saying that, it is a it'sodd to have it done.
(06:13):
I don't know that I could trulydescribe it.
The best thing I can say forpatients, if you normally have
tender breast, usually aboutonce a month, or just in
general, and you drink a lot ofcaffeine, cutting back on that
caffeine for about a week beforeyou have your mammogram will
(06:34):
help the discomfort as well.
Good advice.
SPEAKER_00 (06:37):
How long does the average appointment usually take
from start to finish?
SPEAKER_01 (06:41):
Getting you back from the dressing from the
waiting room and back out to thewaiting room, if everything just
goes really easy, which itnormally does, then it's about a
20-minute exam.
You're only in the room maybe 10minutes, 10 to 12 minutes to
actually get the imaging done.
SPEAKER_00 (07:02):
Okay.
And how soon after you're donedo patients usually get their
results?
SPEAKER_01 (07:10):
If a patient has priors, we'll have to get those.
So that kind of factors intowhen our results turnaround.
If it's a baseline or you've hadit here with us before, then we
can have it back to your doctorsin 24 to 48 hours.
If we have to get priors, thenwe request those.
You don't have to worry aboutthat.
(07:31):
So that doesn't need to be aconcern of not getting coming to
us to have your mammograms done.
But we would request those.
And once we get those, it'll bea 24 to 48 hour turnaround once
those come in.
SPEAKER_00 (07:45):
If the radiologist sees something unusual, what
happens next?
SPEAKER_01 (07:50):
And a radiologist sees something that raises a
flag.
We would then call you and letyou know what the radiologist is
recommending.
Two of the things that theywould recommend is extra imaging
under mammogram.
It's not because we didn't getwhat they need.
Now they want to get in aspecific area so it's more
detailed in the area that theradiologist saw a flag.
(08:14):
The other option that they cando is not only the mammogram
images, but ultrasound is alsoused to pinpoint those areas to
see if what they're seeing isactually fluid or solid areas
that they're looking at, meaninga cyst and lymph node, or is it
truly something to be concernedabout?
SPEAKER_00 (08:38):
So with results, are false alarms kind of common and
how should patients handle thememotionally?
SPEAKER_01 (08:49):
The false alarms, uh, it could we could see
something on the mammogram thatis like a sister and lymph node,
but if we didn't see it on yourpriors, or this is your new one,
your first one, those do raiseflags.
So going in knowing that nomatter what we see, one we can't
(09:10):
determine what it is, we needhelp determining that.
It's not unusual.
For every thousand patients wedo, we get about 15 back saying
that we need extra imaging.
So it's not a high rate.
But remember, just because wesaw something on the or the
(09:32):
radiologist saw something on theimages does not mean they
automatically thought it wasbad.
That's why we have to do theextra imaging to see if you need
to go to the next step.
SPEAKER_00 (09:44):
Here's a question for you that might surprise
people.
Do men ever need mammograms?
SPEAKER_01 (09:50):
We do mammograms on men.
Majority of the time it'sbecause they feel a lump.
Okay.
And we would do imaging, wewould do a mammogram, extra
pictures on them, and then theywould get an ultrasound.
In my years of doing mammogram,I do have been with patients who
have had brothers who have hadbreast cancer.
(10:14):
So they have to get a screeningdone every year just as if it
was their mother.
Oh wow.
Okay.
So there are a few times wherethey're just not as common.
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
Every October we see a big push for mammograms, but
some people still delay gettingthem.
What are the most common reasonsfor putting it off, and how can
we help address those fears?
SPEAKER_01 (10:35):
A lot of them always fear that it's going to hurt so
much.
With in the old days, it reallydid hurt.
But with the technology changesand company, mammogram companies
are really trying to make itmore tolerable for all the
patients.
I think the biggest thing theycan remember is to tell the
(10:57):
technologist that it's hurting.
Try not to grin and bear it.
The other is people think that,well, I don't have family
history, so I'm okay to delayit.
And that's the worst thing youcan do because we're finding
out, as I said before, we'rediagnosing a lot of people who
have never had family history.
SPEAKER_00 (11:18):
And how can friends or family encourage their loved
ones to keep up with regularscreenings?
SPEAKER_01 (11:24):
Women like to help each other out, especially when
you're related, friends.
Um, I think the best suggestionI can give is make it a whole
time that you get to dotogether.
If you if both people are ofage, like friends or even a
mother-daughter, we have thathappen.
(11:44):
Come together, have it done.
Afterwards, go out for lunch orgo down the road and go
shopping.
Make it an event that you get todo together, because it's always
great to you know be in miserytogether.
SPEAKER_00 (11:57):
Yeah, that's it.
SPEAKER_01 (11:59):
It gives them something to look forward to
afterwards.
And there's that becomes abonding moment, whether it's
friends or family.
SPEAKER_00 (12:08):
I love that idea of making it a bonding experience.
So before we wrap up, if youcould tell every listener one
thing about mammograms, whatwould it be?
SPEAKER_01 (12:18):
I think my best thing is don't delay.
Um, they're not as bad as theyused to be.
And just come in with a smilefor your tech, your
technologists, and it makes thewhole atmosphere better.
SPEAKER_00 (12:35):
Thank you so much for joining us today.
I hope this conversation helpsour listeners feel more
comfortable and confident aboutscheduling their mammogram.
If you are ready to make yourappointment, Medlink offers
imaging services at twoconvenient locations, Medlink
Winder Imaging in Winder,Georgia, and Medlink Banks
Imaging in Commerce, Georgia.
You can call us at 706-521-4967to schedule.
(13:02):
We accept most major insuranceplans and we're here to make the
process as easy as possible.
Remember, early detection saveslives.
Thank you for tuning in to theMedlink Health Connections
podcast.
We hope you found today'sepisode informative and
inspiring.
If you enjoyed the show, pleasesubscribe, rate, and leave a
review on your favorite podcastplatform.
(13:25):
Remember, the information sharedin this podcast is for
educational purposes only andshould not replace professional
medical advice.
Always consult with yourhealthcare provider for any
medical concerns.
Stay connected with us on socialmedia and visit our website at
medlinkga.org for more resourcesand updates.
Until next time, stay healthyand take care.
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