A woman from Hitchin who had her life saved by a blood transfusions as a child, before starring in a 1960s blood donor film, has made a fresh appeal for new donations.
Margaret 'Maggie' Hackney, 76, received an exchange blood transfusion as a new born to treat Rhesus disease, and then at the age of 17, she appeared in the 1966 blood donation film The Givers.
In the 10-minute long film, Maggie is shown enjoying a day at the swimming pool and working as a dental nurse, all thanks to the people who give blood.
Now, NHS Blood and Transplant has released a new film showing her watching the footage from the 1960s.
"I watched it with my family and we had a giggle," Maggie said.
"I remember the filming as if it were yesterday – I was 17 and really nervous.
"It was the local swimming pool. I didn’t know the people in the film but we became friends afterwards."
When she was born, Maggie's mother’s blood had passed through the placenta and was destroying her own blood.
She was so ill hospital nurses urgently baptised her because they thought she wouldn’t survive.
"After the blood exchange, I was monitored regularly until I was five years old, at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children in Hackney," she recalled.
"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, who went on to work as a dental surgery assistant for 14 years then as a fitness instructor for 40 years, has now called on people to put themselves forward to make a blood donation.
"I will never be able to thank the NHS blood service enough for giving me a chance of survival as a new born baby.
"I’d like to give a huge thank you to all the blood donors past and present.
"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.
"I was an enthusiastic blood donor for many years myself, apart from a break for my three wonderful children."
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