After 4 years of development, the Mother's Milk Bank of New England (MMBNE) is now accepting donations and milk orders.
(Pictured left to right - Clinical Lab Director, Kelli Purchase and Medical Director, Dr. Kathleen Marinelli.)
The bank, located in Newtonville, MA, successfully pasteurized its first donor milk on June 3rd. As the volunteer Medical Director of the MMBNE, CT-AAP Board Member Kathleen Marinelli was present to help process the first batch. The milk bank operates under the strict guidelines and standards of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). Donors are screened exactly like blood donors or organ donors, with intensive questionnaires on health and lifestyle, serologic blood screening, health reports from both the mother's and the baby's doctors with one important difference. Accepted donors' milk is pasteurized, which retains most of the immunological and nutritional value, while destroying all known pathogens. In the 40 years of "modern" milk banking, there has never been a documented case of any adverse effects or transmission of any pathogens to recipient babies.
Most of the donated milk goes to sick and premature babies in Neonatal Intensive Care.
For information on how to donate or order milk, please visit milkbankne.org
You may also contact the Medical Director Kathleen Marinelli, MD at [email protected] for more information.
A more detailed description of this new program can be seen here.
MMBNE - Full Article.pdf