Two midwives from Swansea uncover a heartwarming bond from the past
Swansea: Can you believe this? Two midwives worked together for over six years and had no clue they were connected from way back. Sharon Cooling, who just retired after nearly 50 years, and Katie Wintle, who joined her in 2016, were totally unaware of their shared history.
It all came to light when Katie got pregnant. While chatting with her family and looking at old photos, she found one of Sharon holding her right after she was born. Talk about a twist! Katie said, “I learned so much from Sharon, and now this connection means the world to us.”
Katie, who initially studied law, switched gears to become a midwife sonographer because she wanted to help people. After training in Bournemouth, she moved to Swansea and started working at Singleton Hospital. She was lucky to have Sharon as a mentor on the labor ward.
Sharon’s journey in the NHS began in 1975 when she was just 17. She trained as a midwife in 1984 and has been serving the Swansea Bay area ever since. After nearly 49 years, she recently retired from the Swansea University Health Board.
While pregnant with her son Luca, Katie stumbled upon the photo of Sharon holding her as a baby. She instantly recognized her. It turns out Sharon had a copy too, which her mom had sent her back then. Sharon recalled, “I remember the day Katie was born and her parents really clearly.”
What a small world, right? It’s not every day you find out your colleague was the one who brought you into the world!
