Herts woman who received life-changing blood transfusion as a newborn backs NHS appeal
The NHS Blood and Transplant has launched a Christmas blood appeal - as donations have fallen behind this year
A Hertfordshire woman whose life was saved by a pioneering blood transfusion as a newborn has shared her amazement at seeing herself in a 1960s blood donation documentary, decades later.
Maggie Hackney, 76, from Hitchin, was born in 1948 with Rhesus disease, a condition where her mother’s blood attacked her own.
She was one of the first babies to undergo a pioneering transfusion.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Maggie said: "I was told I was one of the first recipients of an exchange blood transfusion. I was told it was revolutionary at the time."
The procedure saved her life.
As a teenager, Maggie starred in The Givers, a 1966 documentary about blood donation.
Filmed at her local swimming pool and her workplace as a dental nurse, the documentary was part of the Look at Life series made by the Rank Organisation and shown in cinemas before feature films.
Watching the documentary for the first time in nearly 60 years, Maggie said: "It was amazing, including seeing my mum.
"I watched it with my family and we had a giggle.
I remember the filming as if it were yesterday – I was 17 and really nervous."
Maggie has been a passionate advocate for blood donation throughout her life.
"I will never be able to thank the NHS blood service enough for giving me a chance of survival as a newborn baby," she added.
Her advocacy has included voluntary work as an ambassador for the National Blood Service, giving talks in schools and colleges, and attending donor recognition events.
She was awarded an MBE for Services to Health and Families in Hertfordshire.
Maggie said: "I think a lot of people don’t understand how important it is to be a blood donor.
"Once people do it once, they will be absolutely fine.
"There’s a certain satisfaction from being a blood donor – it’s not all about the tea and biscuits you have afterwards. It’s about saving somebody’s life."
She is today backing an appeal launched by the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), and urging others to donate amidst a challenging winter for blood stocks.
"This winter will be difficult for blood stocks, so please give blood if you can," she said. "People take it for granted that there will always be a supply of blood if any of their loved ones might need it. But it’s only there if people choose to give."