NC hospital hoping for more breast milk donors to fill its Mother's Milk Bank, help NICU babies

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A North Carolina hospital is celebrating breast milk donors and putting out a call for more.

The WakeMed Mothers' Milk Bank is looking for donors to provide this potentially lifesaving gift to premature babies. The hospital says breast milk has life-saving antibodies that protect preemies and full-term infants against disease and illness.

They're hosting an event that available donors can participate in on Sunday, May 19, which is also World Human Milk Donation Day.

How to become a donor

The WakeMed Mother's Milk Bank is hosting an event from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

New and current donors and their families are invited to attend. There will be onsite screening for anyone interested in becoming a donor.

• Location: WakeMed Cary Hospital at 1900 Kildaire Farm Rd

• No pre-registration is required.

Participants will be treated to a festive event featuring crafts, games, firetrucks, raffle items, and vendors, and Safe Kids will be on-site with their "hot car" demonstration.

According to WakeMed, its Mothers' Milk Bank dispenses nearly 250,000 ounces of donor milk annually to babies in hospital NICUs across North Carolina and throughout the Southeast.

WakeMed is one of 33 non-profit milk banks in North America - and the only milk bank in North Carolina that is accredited by the Human Milk Bank Association of North America (HMBANA).

They're hoping events like Milk Bank Donation Day help them create a consistent and active donor base of 200-300 women to continue to meet the increased need for donor breast milk.

To learn more about being a donor, call 919-350-8599 or email mothersmilkbank@wakemed.org.