The Miracle Milk Fund for Jamie, A Warrior Mother

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For as much attention as mainstream media likes to give mothers and drama (or “mommy wars”) on the internet, I’m convinced that’s not representative of the majority of interactions between women within this great space.

I know. I’ve witnessed the better side first-hand, countless times. Women and the internet can be the most powerful, inspirational combination. Give us a tool to wrap our virtual arms around each other from every corner of the world, and we can use it to pull each other closer than ever before. We can use it to hold each other up.

We can use it to support a mother who was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer at 6 months pregnant.

And we can use it to change the way the medical community recognizes early stages of breast cancer in lactating women.

Let me back up here for a minute and say that if it seems this is all a bit more than what the original goal of Jamie’s first call for help was, you’re right.  Because we CAN do more. The outpouring of support for Jamie was overwhelming. Within an hour of posting her simple request for donated breastmilk for her soon-to-be-born baby girl, Jamie and I both knew this was something much bigger than that.

HUNDREDS of you commented to say you’d be happy to help, thousands of you shared the story, hundreds of thousands of you read it. 

Enter Best For Babes.

I have massive respect for BfB as an organization. They are making tremendous strides in supporting breastfeeding women and new moms, and they do it without the guilt and judgement.

Bettina Forbes, one of the co-founders of BfB, reached out to me right after the first post of Jamie’s story with a sincere interest in wanting to help in a big way. The other co-founder of BfB, Danielle Rigg, is a breast cancer survivor. Her story is eerily similar to Jamie’s. This story spoke to their hearts.

I’m thrilled to tell you that BfB has set up a way for ALL of us to not only help make sure Jamie and her baby’s needs are met, but to also help Jamie turn her experience into a positive and something that could benefit women from here on out.

(We) offered to set up a cash donation fund through Best for Babes, so that people who wanted to, could donate money to help cover Jamie’s medical costs, or childcare help, or transportation, collection and storage of  donor milk, or whatever is needed to care for her baby and herself, while she recovers from surgery and undergoes more chemo.   By setting up the fund through Best for Babes (a 501(c)(3) non-profit), donors can receive a tax deduction and know that their gift is going directly to help Jamie.

By making a donation to the Miracle Milk(TM) Fund you will also help educate physicians about lactation management, breast care, and cancer warning signs while breastfeeding, so that any abnormalities can be found earlier.

You can read more about what your donations can do, and you can donate by heading to the BestForBabes.org/Miracle-Milk-Fund page here.

While I know so many of you were anxious to pack your breastmilk in dry-ice and ship it across the country,  I urge you to instead use the money you would spend on shipping and donate it to the fund. Then perhaps find a mother locally who could use that extra milk in your freezer.

We are quite confident that Jamie will be able to source all the breastmilk she needs for her baby from women and milk banks near her, but we want to let anyone around the world support her AND this mission, knowing your money is going directly to the cause.

I know I speak for Danielle, Bettina and the entire BfB organization when I say we could not be more proud of this community and of all of you who have expressed wanting to help Jamie and her family in any way possible.

When you give women the power of the internet, sometimes we can change the world. I have no doubt that the Miracle Milk(TM) Fund, powered by Jamie’s tremendous courage to share her story can help us do just that.

Thank you x 1 million.

Oh, and if you’re wanting to check in and see how Jamie’s doing, she started a blog – 22 Weeks And Cancer.  

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