NORFOLK, Va. – The King’s Daughters Milk Bankat CHKD is consistently looking for local donors to help premature or critically ill infants.
The bank was established to provide the life-saving benefits of breast milk the infants that need it.
Milk donations help to improve infant’s potential to survive.
The CDC says each year, preterm birth affects nearly 500,000 babies which is one of every eight babies born in the United States .
CHKD said:
“Milk donors are critical to the success of the milk bank. Without donors to provide a safe and continuous supply of milk, babies who need this valuable treatment will be unable to receive it.”
Many factors can prevent mothers of preterm or critically ill infants from providing a sufficient supply of their own milk. CHKD says the breast milk decreases the odds of life-threatening complications and infections in premature infants during the first months of their lives, and that is where the donations come in to help.
The Milk Bank is a nonprofit, hospital-based donor milk bank and was the first of its kind in Virginia when it opened in 2014.
At the time of the bank’s opening it was also only one of 14 in the country.
CHKD asks that interested donors email KDMilkBank@CHKD.org or call (757) 668-MILK.
The bank is open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 400 Gresham Drive in Norfolk.
