You could save the life of someone with blood cancer right here at the Royal Infirmary and General Hospitals – by donating your umbilical cord blood. After a baby is born, the umbilical cord and placenta are usually thrown away as clinical waste. But, the stem cells found inside the cord can be used in lifesaving transplants for people with diseases such as leukaemia and lymphoma.
Our maternity units at the Royal Infirmary and General Hospitals are two of five in the UK where women can donate their umbilical cord.
One of our trained collectors will safely collect the cord and placenta and extract the blood. All this happens after your baby is born and in no way interferes with your birth plan. In fact, most mothers tell us they didn’t even notice it happening!
Watch a short animation about donating your cord. To find out more about the Anthony Nolan Trust and the work they do visit the
Anthony Nolan website. If you’d like to register to donate cord blood, have a chat with your midwife or one of our wonderful collectors at Royal Infirmary and General Hospitals.
Sak and Joss (pictured opposite) donated cord blood after their daughter Maizey was born in 2012.
“Once I heard it wouldn’t interfere with the safe birth of my baby, I didn’t have to think twice. It’s an amazing programme”.
