A grateful first-time mum says that it was the work of Queen’s Hospital NHS staff that saved her new-born baby.

Angela Burgess, aged 38, had an emotional meeting with senior biomedical scientist Colleen Sanderson to thank her for the role she played in saving baby Grace’s life.

The mother from Brentwood came to Queen’s Hospital on April 14 – two weeks ahead of her due date – to have a cervical stitch removed.

During a routine blood sample, it appeared that something was not right and after further inspection it was found to be a large foetal bleed.

The mother was sent to have an emergency C-section, and baby Grace was delivered safely the same day.

Anne Minogue, Angela Burgess and Colleen Sanderson

Anne Minogue, Angela Burgess and Colleen Sanderson

She said: “Colleen and the Transfusion team are the unsung heroes of the NHS. I see my doctors and nurses so I can thank them, I never realised there was a Transfusion team behind the scene that did this.

“No words can thank them for everything they’ve done and I will make sure one day Grace knows the story of how she got here and the people who saved her life.

“It’s thanks to them that she’s here. It was only when it was fully explained to me that I realised how serious it could have been. I am so grateful that Colleen was there that day, and picked this up.”

In response the senior biomedical scientist said that any of her colleagues would have done the same, but she was delighted to meet the mother face-to-face.

She said: “As we are a behind-the-scenes service we don’t get to meet our patients, they are names on a tube, so it was lovely to see Angela’s face and hear that baby Grace is doing well.

“It feels really good to have played my part in this, it’s a humbling experience. I’m really proud to have an opportunity to show what goes on that patients don’t see, this is what we do every day and I don’t know how many lives the team has saved.”