Britain’s first cord donor saved Australian child

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Thirty years ago, the NHS issued its first unit of cord blood cells, donated by Jade Reed, which was used to save the life of a child in Australia. This milestone marks the growth of the NHS Cord Blood Bank into a major global resource for stem cell transplants, emphasizing the ongoing need for cord blood donations to support life-saving treatments worldwide.

Thirty years ago, the National Health Service (NHS) issued its first unit of cord blood cells, a milestone now credited with saving the life of a child in Australia. Jade Reed, 30, from St Albans, Hertfordshire, was the donor of that initial recorded cord blood unit distributed by the NHS Cord Blood Bank, which has since become the world’s fourth largest public bank of stem cell-rich cord blood.

Cord blood, collected from the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth, contains stem cells valuable for treating a range of medical conditions, including various forms of cancer, immune system deficiencies, and genetic disorders. The NHS Cord Blood Bank routinely collects this biological material from several hospitals across the United Kingdom, providing a critical resource for transplantation and therapy worldwide.

Reed described the knowledge that her cord blood was used to save a child on the other side of the world as remarkable. “My cord blood went across the world to save the life of another child, when I was a toddler, it’s insane, mad,” she said.

The NHS established its cord blood bank in the early 1990s, pioneering public stem cell banking as a medical treatment option. Over the past three decades, the bank has expanded significantly, facilitating thousands of transplants both domestically and internationally. The longevity and growth of the NHS facility underscore the importance of cord blood donation in advancing life-saving therapies.

This milestone anniversary also serves to raise public awareness about the significance of cord blood donation and encourages expectant parents to consider contributing, as the demand for stem cell treatments continues to grow. Through continued collections, the NHS aims to broaden the genetic diversity of its cord blood inventory, improving the chances of matching donors and recipients around the world.

Jade Reed’s story highlights the far-reaching impact of what might seem like a small act at birth, illustrating how cord blood banking has evolved into a critical global health resource over the past 30 years.

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