Welcome to the Fund an Ounce Reveal the Impact series! The Milk Bank’s largest fundraiser, Fund an Ounce, ensures that the most vulnerable babies continue to have access to the safe donor milk they need.
Each week, we’ll reveal stories of babies and families who have been impacted by The Milk Bank across our 20-year history. Thanks to your support of Fund an Ounce, we’ll be able to continue serving families just like baby Matthew and his parents Sheryl and Bobby. Read their story of impact below.
Sensitivity alert: This post discusses infertility and loss.
After close to a decade of struggling with infertility, IVF, and unsuccessful surrogacy attempts, Sheryl and Bobby chose to explore adoption. Luckily, they were matched with baby Matthew and joyfully welcomed him to their family.
As soon as they got the news about baby Matthew, they began searching for a way to get him access to safe donor human milk. “Coming from a research and scientific background, I know just how amazing the human body is and the the nutrients and the antibodies that are produced within breast milk can’t come from anywhere else,” said Sheryl.
Since Sheryl wasn’t able to provide breast milk to Matthew, she turned to The Milk Bank and the Milk Express site in Lafayette, IN to get access to pasteurized donor human milk for Matthew. Sheryl and Bobby could order milk for Matthew quickly and easily online, and have it shipped to a Milk Express site close to their home.
“I was worried we would have to drive to Indianapolis every other day to get milk,” said Bobby. “And when she told me that it was in Lafayette, I thought that was a really nice win for us.”
Getting Matthew access to safe donor milk ensured his nutritional needs were met and put Sheryl and Bobby’s feeding concerns at ease. “Not speaking for every other every family because every, you know, every baby is gonna be different like any any snowflake. He specifically just could not process formula as easy as he could breast milk,” said Bobby.
Pasteurized donor human milk nourished Matthew, but also helped Sheryl and Bobby heal from the trauma of their infertility journey. “I’m really passionate about infertility, because I’ve seen the worst of the worst of it. It’s just a lot to handle emotionally, financially, support wise,” said Sheryl. “I think using donor breast milk kind of heals that emotional trauma in a way and helps us feel whole.”
When asked what they would say to the milk donors who have helped provide milk for Matthew, Bobby shared this: “We appreciate not only the time, but the the very essence that you are giving to to help, in our case, this little guy grow up. We appreciate that opportunity, that donation, that tangible item that that gives him life.”
Consider making a financial gift to Fund an Ounce today to support The Milk Bank’s outpatient milk access through our Milk Express sites. A gift of any amount will help ensure babies and their families can access safe donor milk when needed.
Thank you to every financial donor who has contributed to Fund an Ounce so far! Every $5 raised provides up to three feedings of safe pasteurized donor human milk for infants who rely on donor milk. Make a gift to Fund an Ounce today to provide more feedings for babies just like Matthew.
