Emma's story
I was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer in 2015, just after my 36th birthday, which resulted in a strong course of treatment and a double mastectomy. Unfortunately, I was told that the chemotherapy had affected my fertility and, as a result, I could not fall pregnant naturally.
So in 2018 it was a huge surprise to find out I was 10 weeks pregnant with our unplanned miracle baby! I wanted to give our baby the best start and, as I was unable to produce milk myself, I started researching donor breast milk on the Internet and I came across the Hearts Milk Bank.
I asked my GP to apply for funding from the CCG, but unfortunately I was turned down as they did not feel that it was a special case and did not understand why a charity would require funding to do this. Thankfully, the team at the Hearts Milk Bank didn’t have the same opinion and kindly offered a supply of donor breast milk to Laurel, funded by The Human Milk Foundation, which we are ever so grateful for.
Laurel weighed an impressive 10lb 3oz at birth and has a very healthy appetite, so she has been guzzling lots of it over the last few weeks!! Thank you so much to everyone at the Hearts Milk Bank and to all of the donors. You really have helped to give my baby girl an amazing start!
