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  • One year old and growing strongly!

    Today marks one year and two days since the first baby was fed donor milk from the Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank. Officially opened on 22 February 2011 at Mercy Hospital for Women, the Breastmilk Bank has helped 58 sick and premature babies to a better start in life.

     

      BMB 1yr anniversary 
    Mr Barry O'Callaghan AO, Chairman, Mercy Health Foundation; Dr Gillian Opie, Neonatal Paediatrician and Head of Unit, Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank; Ms Kerri McEgan, Unit Manager Lactation Department and Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank; Mr John Fogarty, Chief Operating Officer, Mercy Health; and Dr Linda Mellors, Executive Director Mercy Public Hospitals Inc led today’s celebration at Mercy Hospital for Women.  

     

    “Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank has received a great response from our families,” said Dr Gillian Opie, Neonatal Paediatrician and Head of Unit, Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank. “Parents in the nursery have been very positive about the use of pasteurised donor milk and have been well supported by enthusiastic staff.”

    Media interest has also been positive with stories appearing in the Herald Sun, The Age and on Channel 9 news during the year.

    The establishment of Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank has been successful across the board and efforts will be made to grow this service, which is a first for Victoria.

    Fast facts  

    • * The first breastmilk donor was recruited on 1 March 2011
    • * There have been 59 donors to date
    • * The first two babies were fed on 21 July 2011
    • * By the end of June 2012, over 416 litres of breastmilk were donated

     

         Nathaniel and Natasha_breastmilk bank mum   

    “Nathanial was brought to Mercy Hospital for Women after an emergency caesarean,” says [mother] Natasha. “He was only 31.5 weeks and I was unable to provide all the milk he needed. I had no hesitation in Nathaniel receiving donor breastmilk.”