A woman who was saved by a blood transfusion as a baby was 'amazed' to see herself in an NHS advert for blood donors, which was recorded 60 years ago!
Margaret ‘Maggie’ Hackney received an exchange blood transfusion as a newborn to treat Rhesus disease.
Maggie went to star in the 1966 blood donation film ‘The Givers’ as a 17-year-old.
NHS Blood and Transplant has shown her the footage for the first time, as she backs their campaign to give blood this Christmas.
Margaret ‘Maggie’ Hackney received an exchange blood transfusion as a newborn to treat Rhesus disease.
Maggie went to star in the 1966 blood donation film ‘The Givers’ as a 17-year-old.
NHS Blood and Transplant has shown her the footage for the first time, as she backs their campaign to give blood this Christmas.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Margaret Brooker is alive today because of a remarkable advance in medicine.
00:16Watching the Look at Life film after 60 years was amazing to watch.
00:23She was one of the first babies in Britain to have her blood completely changed
00:27as a result of the National Blood Transfusion Service, which is now itself coming of age.
00:33I remember clearly as if it was yesterday, the filming.
00:37I was 17 and really nervous.
00:40The local swimming pool, I was worried about seeing people I knew,
00:44but actually the people that were asked to join in the film were people I didn't know,
00:50but they ended up as friends afterwards.
00:53I went to the cinema on more than one occasion to watch myself.
00:58Today, she's a dental nurse and as fit as any girl.
01:03I will never be able to thank the NHS Blood Service enough
01:07for giving me a better chance of survival as a newborn baby.
01:12I was an enthusiastic blood donor for many years,
01:15and apart from having a break to have my three wonderful children,
01:19I was a regular donor with a significant amount of donations over the years.
01:24I've helped recruit new young blood donors
01:27and only recently retired after 40 years of teaching fitness.
01:32The film was so interesting, I remember it as if it was yesterday.
01:36I can remember it in great detail,
01:39and the advances in science over the past 75 years have been extraordinary.
01:47Every day, this sort of thing is happening up and down the country,
01:51the setting up of a blood donor session.
01:53I'd like to give a huge thank you to all the blood donors past and present.
01:59All kinds of people from 18 to 65 give their blood.
02:03Mrs Caroline Gorman wears the gold medal, awarded for giving 50 or more pints.
02:08To those people who have not considered donating blood,
02:12who might have concerns about it, let me reassure you,
02:16the wonderful teams who run these blood donation sessions are friendly and professional.
02:22They will understand if you have concerns about becoming a donor
02:26and answer all your questions.
02:28The Blood Service needs more donors right now,
02:32so please volunteer if you are fit and well.
02:35You never know, someone you love might need blood one day.
02:41Thousands of people who owe their lives and health today
02:45to the skill and devotion of doctors and nurses
02:48are equally indebted to the one and a quarter million men and women
02:52who give some of their own life blood so that others may also live.