Dr Shenker began donating five years ago, when she found that her freezer was full of milk she had expressed for her baby, but which was no longer needed. Her minister, Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, then of West London Synagogue, suggested she donate it. However she discovered that there is a “postcode lottery” governing how donated milk gets used.
Hearts Milk Bank has been established to put an end to this lottery and “provide an assured supply of breastmilk for babies, irrespective of where they are born in London and throughout the southeast.”
Premature babies have a delicate and immature digestive system - ensuring they only receive breastmilk has been shown to help to protect them from potentially serious, even fatal, diseases and reduces the length of their stay in hospital. It can take longer for mothers of premature babies to be able to express enough breastmilk to feed their babies so safe supplies of specially treated donated breastmilk can help mothers to establish their own milk supply.
Dr Natalie Shenker said of the nomination: “This is a real validation of the hard work put in by all the team in the milk bank over the last 18 months. We are amazed to be one of just seven finalists from scores who were nominated.”
Across the country, 10 percent of babies are born prematurely, approximately 70,000 each year.
The Heart Milk Bank is currently fundraising for a refrigerated vehicle that can pick up milk from donors across the region, and you can support them here.
