When Linda Begnaud started working at FMOL Health | Our Lady of Lourdes 50 years ago, X-rays were still developed by hand in a darkroom.
Today, as an imaging clerk, she has a front-row seat to just how much healthcare has changed. Through it all, Linda has found her greatest satisfaction in helping patients and working alongside her Lourdes team.
From the Darkroom to Digital Imaging
Linda began her career developing X-ray film, a process that required working in a darkroom before digital technology transformed medical imaging.
As the department evolved, so did her responsibilities. She worked in patient transport and as an imaging technician assistant before moving into her current role as an imaging clerk.
Linda has always welcomed opportunities to take on new tasks, especially when supervisors trusted her to try something different. She credits people like longtime Our Lady of Lourdes Director of Imaging Dwain Ortego with encouraging her and making a lasting impression over the years.
Enjoying the Everyday Moments
After five decades, Linda still enjoys the daily conversations and interactions that come with her job.
“I enjoy the team and the people,” Linda says.
Whether she’s assisting patients or helping coworkers, those moments are what she looks forward to most. The relationships she’s developed have also given her a strong sense of belonging at Lourdes, where many colleagues have become longtime friends.
A Gift That Meant So Much
One of Linda’s most meaningful memories comes from a difficult time in her personal life.
After her husband passed away, a coworker named Patty gave her a brick engraved with his name that lays along walking pathways of the Regional Medical Center campus. It was a simple, thoughtful gift that showed Linda how deeply her colleagues cared about her.
That act of kindness reflects the compassion Linda has experienced throughout her years at Lourdes, where support often extends beyond the hospital walls.
As she celebrates 50 years of service, Linda can look back on a career that has taken her from developing X-ray film to supporting a modern imaging department. Through changing technology and new responsibilities, she continues to enjoy the work and the Lourdes family that has been part of her life for half a century.
