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Susan Rogers, Lead Nurse Public Health at the Western Trust expressed her thanks to all the milk bank donors for their continued support during the Covid-19 Pandemic. She said: "We are indebted to our donor mums who have continued to provide essential donor breast milk for babies in neonatal units in hospitals throughout Ireland. We are delighted to invite our donor mums and donor recipient mums to celebrate World Human Milk Donation day to meet up and enjoy tea and cake as a small token of thanks for their generosity and support to the Human Milk Bank.

“The Human Milk Bank staff are working very hard to ensure this vital service remains available to all our vulnerable premature babies, through these uncertain times.”

Susan added: “It is essential that we continue to recruit donors at this very challenging time and I would appeal to expectant mums to consider becoming a donor and also that they promote the Human Milk Bank to other mums to be. Breastfeeding is one of the best protections for babies and mothers are encouraged to consider donating.”

In 2022 the Human Milk Bank provided donor milk for 1004 premature babies, of which 279 were either a twin or a triplet.

From January to the present time we have recruited 114 donors and provided 432 litres of donor milk to premature babies throughout Ireland.

Susan concluded: “We are extremely grateful for the support of the Voluntary Blood Bikers, who have recently been recognized for a National Lottery Good Cause Award for their voluntary and community work who transport our much needed donor milk to neonatal units across Ireland.”

To find out more about the Human Milk Bank and becoming a donor, contact the Human Milk Bank on Tel: (028) 68628333 or email [email protected]

Celebrating World Human Milk Bank Day (19 May) standing from left to right Liz Bailie, Human Milk Bank Coordinator; Nicola Burchmore, Community Infant Feeding Lead; Hilary Campbell, Head of Service Public Health; Lorraine Holden, Human Milk Bank Service Admin Support and Susan Rogers, Lead Nurse Public Health. Seated are Cathy Mullan with her six month daughter Fiadh from Omagh and Clare Sizeland with her nine month old son Ruairi from Enniskillen who donated donor milk.

A video showing a short tour of the facility, the Human Milk Bank processes and how donated breast milk is distributed to help premature babies all over Ireland is available of the Western Trust’s website www.westerntrust.hscni.net or the Western Trust’s You tube channel.

Derry mums donating to Human Milk Bank help feed over a thousand babies