Infected blood scandal widow shares heartbreaking story

Those are the words of the heartbroken widow of Alan Molyneux, one of the thousands of blood scandal victims after the findings results of a public inquiry were revealed.

More than 30,000 people were infected with deadly viruses between the 1970s and early 1990s as they received blood transfusions or blood products while receiving NHS care.

The 2,527-page report from the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on Monday, found the infected blood scandal “could largely have been avoided” and there was a “pervasive” cover-up to hide the truth.

Alan and Sandra when they were first dating (Image: Sandra Molyneux)

Among those who died was Alan Molyneux, from St Helens, who passed away just after his 35th birthday on October 31, 1985 leaving behind widow Sandra and two daughters.

Alan was a severe haemophiliac and contracted HIV due to contaminated blood products – including the drug Factor VIII - which had been imported from America by the British Government.

The year before his death, Alan's health had started to deteriorate, and he underwent surgery in Liverpool Royal.

From then on his health began to rapidly worsen due to the contaminated blood transfusions and products.

Alan's wife Sandra, who lives in Rainford, has spoken to the Star following the results of the inquiry, recalling her experiences and bravely remembering the stigma both she and her daughters faced.

The now 72-year-old, who has spent years campaigning for justice, said: “When we were courting, I knew nothing about Alan’s haemophilia.

"In fact, a neighbour told my mum they saw ambulances picking him up and she was the one who mentioned just that to me.

Alan and Sandra on their wedding day (Image: Sandra Molyneux)

“When it come to us getting engaged at 19, he sat me down and told me and said he understood if I wanted to leave him, but I didn’t know what haemophilia was, but I knew I loved him and that was enough.

“We had a good life, we moved to Shropshire for his work, we had two lovely daughters Donna Marie and Andrea, and we were happy the four of us, he could get poorly but we managed even though times were tough.

“My first indication that something happened was when his personality changed. He was short with me, and the children and he was normally a doting husband and father, and he was deteriorating and losing weight.

“There was a lot of fear mongering in the news then, about AIDs and I saw it on TV, and I thought, that’s what he’s got, and told his doctors, but the doctors said I was neurotic.

“Even Alan saw coverage on Rock Hudson’s death [Rock Hudson was a famous American actor died from AIDS-related complications in October 1985] and said, ‘That’s not what I’ve got is it?

“They sent him home for me to care for him and they didn’t warn me at all about protective clothing or to not be intimate – we weren’t because he was so ill, but the point is there was never any mention of it.

“A district nurse came and said ‘so what have they told you about what he’s got’ and I said they hadn’t, and she never came back.

“Later on they sent me a letter to have blood tests and never told me why, just said it was to test for salmonella, but it was to check if I’d picked up the disease too, which I could have. Like I say I cared for him at home."

Sandra bravely recalled the treatment Alan and her family received at the time – including in hospital settings.

She said: “In the hospital they left Alan alone, there was blood and human muck on the ground.

“They didn’t want him there, but he was too sick to be home. This proud, strong man couldn’t lift a tea cup and it was horrendous.

“I went to London to see a specialist who confirmed from everything I’d told him that my husband had the AIDs virus.

“The Liverpool Royal doctor told me to not undermine him and dismissed me.

“Alan suffered and we as his family suffered, the girls were 11 and nine when he died and before then they had to go live with different relatives, one in Shropshire and the other in Manchester. And it affected them.

“Even after he died I’d go out to the pub say just to get out with friends and I’d hear people say ‘that’s that woman whose husband got AIDs’.

“My children got bullied, I lost every ounce of confidence in myself and I was stigmatised because of it; I was always the woman whose husband died, and it took a doctor to tell me that if I didn’t change how I was reacting to it I wouldn’t be in any state for look after my girls and then I had to face up to things after he died.

“So, it’s good news that the inquiry found failings, but this has been known for 40 years.

“For 40 years it’s been left to the heartbroken families to fight for justice and it’s appalling. This government and going back to [the governments of] Margaret Thatcher and John Major they all knew.

“But the government put greed and money before people’s lives, and victims like Alan paid the price, no compensation will be enough. It’s justice but it won’t bring them back.

“Ask any one of those who will be compensated, who have lost partners and children and suffered themselves and ask them if it’s enough? The only thing they want is their loved one back.

“Instead, they were used like guinea pigs.

“It will help the victims to have a more comfortable life, but no compensation is enough, you can’t put a price on the lives lost and ruined because of this greed.”

To read the Infected Blood Inquiry report, go to infectedbloodinquiry.org.uk/reports/inquiry-report