Kellie Shirley gives birth! Ex-EastEnders star welcomes baby boy with husband Phil Davies
Kellie Shirley has given birth to a boy.
The former EastEnders star, 41, took to Instagram on Sunday to announce that she and husband Phil Davies had welcomed their job package.
The star, who played Carly Wicks on the BBC soap between 2006 and 2008, shared an adorable photo of her little one and broke the big news to her followers.
She wrote: “So there’s this new guy in my life…. and wow! #young.’
Kellie and Phil already share twins Pearl and Louis, seven.
New mom! Kellie Shirley has given birth to a boy
Kellie made her newborn twins lifesavers by donating her umbilical cords to people living with blood cancer, she recently revealed.
The actress revealed her hopes of doing the same with her third child.
“The blood stored in babies’ umbilical cords is rich in stem cells, which can be transplanted into cancer patients to replace their damaged cells with normal, healthy ones,” she told Metro.co.uk.
Kellie found out about the treatment by accident after running the 2008 London Marathon benefiting the Anthony Nolan Trust.
“I didn’t know much about blood cancer or the charity at the time. A friend of mine from school was diagnosed with leukemia, and my mother was a nurse, so I picked up some information along the way. But that’s about it,’ she said.
Learning how the funds she raised were being used by the charity, she met Miriam González Durántez – the wife of former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg – who told her mothers that they routinely donate umbilical cords to blood banks in their home country in Spain.
“At the time, I thought the umbilical cord was just a piece of flesh that connects the baby to the mother’s placenta. In most hospitals, it’s usually thrown out after birth (unless it’s been whipped up in a smoothie!).
“But after speaking to Miriam, I was in awe to hear how amazing and helpful umbilical cords really can be. How they could give someone who has blood cancer a second chance at life.”
Adorable: The former EastEnders star, 41, took to Instagram on Sunday to announce that she and husband Phil Davies had welcomed their job bundle
Exciting: She wrote: “So there’s this new guy in my life…. and wow! #babyboy
Only five hospitals in England allow donations to the charity. When Kellie became pregnant in 2015, she transferred her care to Kings College Hospital in London to support the programme.
“It was pretty easy to sign up and get involved – I just asked my midwife and told her I wanted to donate my umbilical cords and she put it in my medical record.
“All I had to do was fill out some paperwork to officially consent and a basic medical questionnaire to make sure everything was okay to proceed and then I had to make sure I reached 37 weeks.”
Shortly after Kellie was born, someone from Anthony Nolan came to collect her placenta.
“That was my job done. I hardly noticed it happening. A few months later, I found out that my babies had actually saved someone’s life. It was an incredible feeling,” she said.
“Donating your baby’s umbilical cord doesn’t harm you or your baby – so it’s a no-brainer and an amazing feeling to know it can be used for something this good.”
Kellie is now a charity ambassador, spreading awareness of the wonders of cord blood.
“There are currently around 250,000 people living with blood cancer in the UK – many in urgent need of treatment. Imagine the lives we could save if we made cord donation the standard,” she said.
“It’s a beautiful fact that your baby could become a lifesaver at birth.”
Couple: Kellie and Phil are pictured in 2016