A mother has shared the incredible story of how a stranger's umbilical cord blood donation saved her daughter's life, years after she herself made the same generous choice following the birth of her child.
A Mother's Decision and a Daughter's Diagnosis
Natasha Kirkpatrick, a 37-year-old teacher from Marston Moretaine near Bedford, donated her daughter Ellaria's cord blood after she was born at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital in 2017. Cord blood, rich in stem cells, is collected from the placenta and umbilical cord after birth and can treat cancers, immune conditions, and genetic disorders.
Tragically, on Christmas Eve in 2019, when Ellaria was just two years old, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. After initially undergoing chemotherapy, she suffered a relapse, meaning she needed a stem cell transplant to survive.
The Emergency Transplant That Made the Difference
In 2022, Ellaria was scheduled for a stem cell transplant, but it was cancelled at the last minute when the donor contracted Covid-19. Instead, doctors performed an emergency cord blood transplant at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
"I knew about cord blood because I’d donated Ellaria’s own cord blood when she was born," said Mrs Kirkpatrick. "Without the doctors and without that transplant, she would not be here."
Ellaria, now eight years old, was an inpatient for around five months and faced complications, including a virus and some after-effects on her heart and brain. However, she has made a remarkable recovery and is now a typical Year 4 pupil who loves music from Elvis to K-Pop, dancing, and has a great sense of humour.
NHS Cord Blood Bank Reaches Major Milestone
Ellaria's story coincides with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) announcing it has issued its 1,000th unit of umbilical cord blood for stem cell transplants. The NHSBT cord blood bank in Filton, Bristol, opened in 1996 and is the world's fourth largest, holding nearly 20,000 donations.
Alex Ross, head of NHSBT’s Cord Blood Bank, called the 1,000th transplant a "special moment." He explained: "The placenta and cord are usually thrown away but when donated they can save lives... Your baby may be grown up by the time they save a life."
Donations can be made at specific hospitals including University College Hospital, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, and St George's Hospital. The blood is frozen at -196°C and can be stored for many years until a match is found. Recent transplants have been sent to hospitals in London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Canada, and the Netherlands, primarily to treat leukaemia and genetic immunodeficiencies in young patients.
Mrs Kirkpatrick, who is pregnant with her fourth child, expressed her profound gratitude: "I cannot thank the mum who donated the cord blood Ellaria received enough. There are really no words to express how I feel. I just think it’s great that people do it - and I was proud to do it myself."
