Choosing Peace of Mind: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss and Looking Ahead

When life changed in an instant during her pregnancy, one CordBank mother found strength in making the choices she could to protect the future she was building for her son, Jack. Now, as Jack turns 18, Michelle shares how profound loss shaped her understanding of preparation, peace of mind and keeping future possibilities open. Read her story below.

Why did you save Jack’s cord blood at birth?

When I was pregnant with Jack, I had already experienced firsthand how quickly life can change. Saving his cord blood felt like a way of having more options and security for the future should we ever need it. I hoped and continue to hope it will never be needed, but as a parent I wanted to know I had done everything I could to provide more choices for him should the unexpected happen.

How did your personal journey during pregnancy impact your decision making and thoughts around providing a back-up plan for your son?                                                                          

My circumstances during pregnancy were very different from what I had expected. Losing Wayne (Jack’s dad/my soulmate) suddenly early in our pregnancy forced me to think about things no one ever wants to think about – life, risk and the future in a completely different way. I became very aware that none of us can predict what lies ahead and the importance of protecting what we can.

The sudden shock and devastation made me appreciate the value of preparation. Saving Jack’s cord blood was one of the ways I felt I could put something in place for him that would help in the future should we ever need it 

Has knowing you have Jack’s cord blood stored changed anything for your family?

It has given me peace of mind. Not because I expect we will ever need it, in fact I hope we never do – but because I know that option exists if needed.

For me, peace of mind comes from knowing I’ve considered the possibilities and made thoughtful decisions. Once the cord blood was stored, it became something I didn’t have to  worry or think about because I knew it was there if ever needed.

What would you say to parents who are undecided?

I would encourage them to think about it as having future options.

None of us know what our children will face throughout their lives.  I expect all parents hope they will never need to rely on stored cord blood, just as they hope they never need to rely on life insurance. The decision isn’t about expecting something to go wrong; it’s about deciding whether having better options available should the unexpected happen feels valuable and gives your family peace of mind.

For me, it’s also about knowing I’ve done my best with the information available at the time. As parents we make countless decisions without knowing what the future holds. This was one decision that allowed me to feel I had taken a practical step to give Jack more options should he ever need them.

What benefits do you see in keeping Jack’s cord blood in storage?

For me, the biggest benefit is preserving a unique resource that can never be collected again.

As medical technology continues to evolve, we don’t know what future treatments may become available. By keeping Jack’s cord blood stored, we’re keeping those possibilities open. Once it’s gone, that choice can’t be revisited.

Jack has recently turned 18, but that doesn’t change how I feel about wanting to protect his future. If I believed preserving that option was worthwhile when he was born, that doesn’t change for me simply because he’s now an adult.   

Has your experience influenced the way you think about protecting your family and planning for the future?

Absolutely.

My experience taught me that life doesn’t always go to plan.  Wayne and I had graduated, travelled, bought our family home, welcomed our fur baby (our test child – We were ready to start our family) Jack was a planned pregnancy – then heart failure aged 31 – I was 9 weeks & 2 days pregnant – that wasn’t in the plan. 

Neither was discovering a massive gap in the cover we had thought would protect us – life insurance didn’t pay leaving me alone juggling financial survival while grieving and preparing to become an only parent.  Rather than making me pessimistic, it’s driven me and is the reason I’m so passionate about helping families today. Jack and I have lived through circumstances I never imagined and understand the difference that preparation can make.  It’s why today I help families understand their insurance options and put the right protections in place, including life, income, mortgage, trauma and health cover, so they can have financial security if life doesn’t go to plan.

Looking back, how has your perspective on risk and preparedness changed since becoming a parent?

Before becoming a parent and losing Wayne,  I probably thought about risk in a more abstract way. Once Jack arrived, decisions became less about me and more about ensuring he would be okay no matter what happened.

Being prepared is about recognising that uncertainty is a part of life, which is why I believe it’s important to take practical steps to provide stability, options and support for the people who depend on you.

Many people hope they will never need cord blood storage or personal insurance. How do you think about investing in protections you may never use?

To me, the best outcome is never needing them.

We don’t buy smoke alarms because we expect our house to burn down. We install them because if something unexpected happens, we’re grateful they’re there. I see cord blood storage and life and personal insurance in a similar way. They’re about creating options and reducing the impact of circumstances that are outside our control.

The reality is that once a house is on fire it’s too late to buy insurance, once you are diagnosed with cancer – you have a pre existing condition and once cord blood is discarded it can never be collected again. These decisions need to be made before we know whether we’ll ever need them. 

What does “peace of mind” mean to you as a parent?

Peace of mind means knowing I’ve done the things that are within my control.

As parents, we can’t remove every risk from our children’s lives. What we can do is make thoughtful and informed decisions that improve their opportunities and support them if challenges arise. Peace of mind comes from knowing I’ve done my best to give them options.

How has your personal journey shaped your passion for helping other families prepare for life’s uncertainties?

My personal journey has shown me that life can change in ways we never anticipate.

Going through significant loss while preparing to become a parent taught me how important it is to think ahead and create options wherever possible.

My life experience entirely influences the work I do. I’m passionate about helping families have conversations about personal insurance and protection – life insurance, income, mortgage, trauma and health cover – so they are financially prepared if life changes unexpectedly.  There are decisions we can make today that create more options for the people we love in the future.