Woman collects umbilical cords for a living — as it may save her daughter’s life

ZOE Tucker, 38, works for Anthony Nolan and lives in Leicester with her fiancé Glynn, 42, a gardener, and their daughters Ruby, 10, and Holly, six.

Here, she reveals how her daughter's heartbreaking diagnosis pushed her to collect umbilical cords in hope of saving lives

“Picking up the placenta from the operating table, I smelled an odour like raw meat. It was still warm – not surprising, as it had been inside another woman just five minutes ago.

“Working quickly, I used a needle to pierce a vein in the attached umbilical cord and let the blood flow into a small bag, kneading the placenta to make sure I got every drop. Others might have been disgusted, but I wasn’t – I’d done it hundreds of times.

“People are often shocked by my job, and I hadn’t heard of collecting umbilical cords either until my daughter Ruby was diagnosed with a rare congenital disorder. As a baby she had a weak immune system and was constantly in and out of hospital, but doctors couldn’t work out what was wrong.

“My partner Glynn and I were beside ourselves with worry. Eventually, in January 2011, when she was two, Ruby was referred to a gastric team who told us she had Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, which causes dysfunctions in the pancreas and bone marrow.

“Ruby was prescribed medication to ease the symptoms, such as severe diarrhoea, but as there’s no cure we were told she had an increased risk of developing blood cancer one day, so she might need a stem cell transplant.

“It was a huge blow, but Glynn and I tried to stay positive. A few months later I found out I was expecting our second daughter Holly, which turned out to be a blessing in more ways than one. Doctors explained that when she was born, instead of having my placenta thrown out with medical waste, we could collect the blood from it as it’s rich in stem cells that could one day save Ruby’s life.

“What’s more, there was a 70% chance Holly’s stem cells would be a match for Ruby, and the collection would be painless and risk-free.

“So in December 2011, when I gave birth to Holly via emergency C-section, a cord collector immediately took my placenta and sent the blood inside to be cryogenically frozen and stored at Great Ormond Street Hospital for up to 25 years in case Ruby needs it.

“After my maternity leave with Holly, I returned to my job managing a charity shop – but I decided I really wanted to help women and babies too, so I started looking for other work. When I spotted a vacancy for a cord collector at Leicester General Hospital, I knew it would be perfect for me.

“I didn’t need any formal qualifications, just the ability to perform blood tests, but I had to first become a care assistant as I’d never worked in a hospital before.

“I started in October 2015 and was fascinated to learn the ropes on the ward. A year later, I became a full-time cord collector.

“Working 12-and-a-half-hour shifts was tough at first, especially as birth can be so unpredictable. One minute I’d be chatting to a woman about donating, and the next two or three mums would be delivering at once. Time is of the essence as the blood clots within 45 minutes and is no longer usable. Most mums are more than happy to donate, but some aren’t interested and I never try to force it on them.

“We’ve also had occasions when a mother has lost her baby but still wants to donate the cord, which is an incredibly emotional experience.

“Placentas come in all shapes and sizes – you get tiny ones, huge ones, fat ones and thin ones that look like a skipping rope.

“Recently, I had one so massive I had to use two collection bags – I told the mum and she was chuffed!

“I’ve had blood spurting from the placenta on to my uniform and face a few times, but luckily I don’t get squeamish.

“I can’t say the same for Glynn, though – he gets freaked out if I talk about work too much at home – but he’s really supportive of my career as he sees how much joy it brings me.

“Ruby is aware that one day she might need a transplant, and when I told her what I do for a living she was in awe. I can’t wait to explain to Holly one day that there’s a chance her birth could save her sister’s life.”