Hitchin woman had blood transfusion as a baby and was 'amazed' to see herself on 60-year-old blood donor ad

Margaret ‘Maggie’ Hackney received an exchange blood transfusion as a newborn to treat Rhesus disease, and starred in a 1966 blood donation film ‘The Givers’ as a 17-year-old - but she had never seen the film!

NHS Blood and Transplant has shown her the footage for the first time - in a fresh Christmas appeal for blood donations.

Blood donor appeal

Maggie, now aged 76, from Hitchin in Hertfordshire, said: “Watching the Look at Life film after nearly 60 years was amazing, including seeing my mum. I watched it with my family and we had a giggle!”

She remembers filming the video at a local swimming pool and feeling ‘nervous’, and also recalls watching herself on screen at the cinema afterwards.

They thought I wouldn’t survive

When she was born, Maggie had been so ill hospital nurses urgently baptised her because they thought she wouldn’t survive.

Her mother’s blood had passed through the placenta and was destroying her own blood.

“After the blood exchange, I was monitored regularly until I was five years old, at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children in Hackney,” said Maggie.

One of the first blood transfusion patients

“I was told I was one of the first recipients of an exchange blood transfusion. I was told it was revolutionary at the time. Even today, you can still see the scars on my wrists and ankles.”

Maggie was born and treated in the 1948, the year the NHS was created. She went on to work as a dental surgery assistant for 14 years then as a fitness instructor for 40 years.

Awarded an MBE

She promoted blood donation throughout her life, attending donor recognition events and giving talks in schools and colleges as a voluntary ambassador for the National Blood Service.

She was awarded an MBE for Services to Health and Families in Hertfordshire. Maggie is now supporting the call for people to donate blood this Christmas - in a campaign video, which can be seen above.

She said: “I will never be able to thank the NHS blood service enough for giving me a chance of survival as a newborn baby. I’d like to give a huge thank you to all the blood donors past and present.

Blood stocks at ‘amber alert’

“I know that this winter will be difficult for blood stocks so please give blood if you can. 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.”

Dr Lise Estcourt, NHSBT’s medical director for blood transfusion, said: “It was an honour to show Maggie this film again after nearly 60 years. While many things have changed, two things haven’t – the generosity of people who donate blood and the fact that it saves lives. You could even help someone young grow up to live a full life, just like Maggie.”

NHSBT has warned it remains in an Amber Alert on blood stocks. Donor centres in towns and cities have many unfilled appointments between now and the new year.

To register or book an appointment to give blood, please visit our website, use the GiveBlood app or call 0300 123 23 23.