Calgary milk bank urgently seeks Alberta donors as demand outpaces supply

NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank, a Calgary-based non-profit that supplies pasteurized donor breast milk to neonatal intensive care units across Alberta, including in Red Deer, is urgently appealing for more donors. Executive Director Donna Gersbach said the charity has seen year-over-year growth in hospital demand, while donor numbers have declined over the past six months, prompting the push to rebuild supply before winter.

Donor milk is considered the gold standard for premature or ill babies when a mother's own milk isn't available, providing nutrition along with antibodies and other components linked to a healthy gut microbiome and long-term health outcomes, according to Gersbach. NorthernStar, which has operated for more than 14 years, prioritizes the sickest and most fragile infants if supply becomes limited.

Mothers typically donate within the first year to 18 months after giving birth, while still lactating enough to have extra milk. Because donors naturally cycle out as babies wean, the organization says it must continuously recruit new donors to maintain inventory.

In Red Deer, milk can be dropped off at the Johnstone Crossing Community Health Centre after donors complete a screening process, including an online intake form, a 15-minute phone interview, a blood test requisition and a doctor's form. Collected milk is transported to Calgary for processing before being shipped to hospitals, with Red Deer receiving shipments every few weeks.