LANCASTER – Antelope Valley Medical Center is partnering with the Antelope Valley Breastfeeding Coalition to host a breast milk drive, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday May 7. The event will be located at AVMC’s Community Resource Center at 44151 15th Street West (next to City of Hope).
“Breastmilk is the best gift you can give to a premature infant who is fighting for their life. It increases their chance for survival and decreases the chance of a life threating infection,” said Murugesa Thangavel, M.D., Antelope Valley Medical Center, Women & Infant Pavilion’s NICU Medical Director.
During this year’s event, AVMC will honor milk donor Vanessa Apollo, who found the courage to continue pumping her breastmilk after a tragic loss and has donated 161 bags of frozen breastmilk.
Mothers interested in donating breast milk during the drive will be screened and given a blood test to ensure the safety of their breast milk. Frozen breast milk is appreciated. For details and more information, call 661-726-6210.
AVMC was designated a Breast Milk Depot in 2017 by BreastfeedLA, a nonprofit breastfeeding advocacy organization. AVMC is one of only four designated milk collection sites in Los Angeles County. The designation means breastfeeding moms can drop off breast milk at AVMC’s Women & Infants Pavilion; it will then be processed, pasteurized and distributed to infants in need of this vital resource.
[Information via news release from Antelope Valley Medical Center.]
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