Motorcycle riders are well known for their charity and social welfare work and the latest to grab our attention is this group of women delivering breast milk for babies.
The Sirens Women’s Motorcycle Club of New York has been delivering donor breast milk for the past year to mothers who are having trouble breastfeeding.
The 40 club members take milk from the New York Milk Bank directly to mothers around the city.
We’ve heard of medicine and social welfare aid being delivered in various locations around the world, but this is the first time we have heard of breast milk deliveries by motorcycle.
In this 60 Second Documentaries video Sirens president Jen Bacquial says the group volunteered “because, who wouldn’t help a sick baby?”
“The executive director of the Milk Bank called me out of nowhere and introduced the idea of delivering breast milk to babies,” she says.
“I was immediately attached to the idea. We’re all women. We have friends that have had trouble breastfeeding and being able to help just a little bit I know it’s gotta be doing some good.”
Sirens president Jen BacquialMotorcycles are the ideal delivery vehicle for the fresh breast milk as they are able to manoeuvre through the snarled New York City traffic faster and easier than cars or vans.
That way the milk stays fresh.
Advantages of breast milk
Milk Bank boss Julie Bouchet-Horowitz says breast milk has special antibodies that help sick or premature babies fight disease and infection.
If a mother can’t keep up with the breast feeding, a supplement of donor milk can help. It is especially important for mothers of premature babies.
Call to arms
Are there any women motorcycle clubs out there interested in delivering milk to those in need? In fact, any motorcycle club; it doesn’t just need to be women!
There are milk banks in most major maternity hospitals in Australian cities and around the world.
- If your club is interested in this or any other social welfare or charity work, please tell us about it. Contact us via email.