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Mum's bid to give something back
A mother whose premature baby died in her arms has donated huge amounts of breast milk to help other premature babies grow.
After losing her child in 2005, 30-year-old Fii West-Ley from Wellingbrorough went on to have two more children.
But after both births, she was still producing a large supply of milk and wanted to put this to good use so started looking around for any way in which the milk could be used.
From her own experience of having a premature baby, she was aware of the benefits of breast milk and so decided to donate her spare supply to to help others.
She contacted the UK Association of Milk Banking and after having no luck with two of the closest milk banks, she found that the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford has one of only 13 human milk banks in the country.
They work with charity, Serv, who normally transport blood, blood products, vaccines, samples and other urgent medical items to hospitals free of charge, but also collect and deliver milk to help babies.
She said: "I know how difficult it is to have a premature baby and anything that can be done to help them is good.
"Breast milk is full of nutrients and is especially good for little babies because it's full of anti bodies and promotes their immune system."
She added: "Sometimes mothers of premature babies can't breast feed and when I started producing so much milk, I decide to donate it."
Fii's milk is routinely collected from her home in The Burrows, Wellingborough, by Serv.
The charity takes the milk in a special container by bike to the milk banks, where it is kept and then distributed.
This transportation role is vital to the milk banks but unfortunately the charity does not have enough boxes.
Every box costs just 55 but has the ability of saving a baby's life – and Serv needs an extra 12 boxes for their service.
For more information about the charity or if you would like more information about donating milk visit Serv on www.servobn.org.uk.
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Thursday 23 February 2012
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