Skagit Valley Hospital to Host Ribbon-Cutting Event for New Breast Milk Drop Location

Skagit Regional Health invites the community to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and educational event celebrating the new breast milk drop location at Skagit Valley Hospital. The event takes place on Tuesday, March 18, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Family Birth Center lobby on the hospital’s third floor.

Attendees can enjoy light refreshments following the ribbon-cutting celebration. Additionally, from 5 to 5:30 p.m., the public is invited to attend learning sessions about the breast milk screening process and from 6 to 6:30 p.m. a session about milk donation options for bereaved families.

As an official milk drop site in partnership with Northwest Mothers Milk Bank, Skagit Valley Hospital provides approved donors with a convenient, trusted location to donate breast milk on a weekly basis. Donor milk is a critical resource for hospitalized premature and ill newborns, offering life-saving nutrition when a mother’s own milk is unavailable. Equity is a core value of ours at Skagit Regional Health, and we believe that every baby — regardless of their family’s circumstances — deserves access to the life-saving benefits of donor milk. This program gives local parents with a surplus of breast milk the opportunity to make a significant difference by helping another infant receive the best start in life.

“We know that breastfeeding rates in the Pacific Northwest are among the highest in the nation. High breastfeeding rates and a positive breastfeeding culture are essential foundations for a thriving community milk bank, making Skagit Valley Hospital an ideal host for Milk Drop,” says Tami Schnell, Regional Director of Women's and Children's Services at Skagit Regional Health.

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About Skagit Regional Health: About Skagit Regional Health: Skagit Regional Health includes Skagit Valley Hospital, Cascade Valley Hospital and a network of more than two dozen healthcare facilities providing primary and specialty outpatient care in Skagit, Island and north Snohomish counties. Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, licensed for 137 beds, features cancer care, surgical services, a Level III Emergency Department, Family Birth Center, diagnostics and advanced heart and vascular care. Cascade Valley Hospital includes the 48-bed acute care facility in Arlington providing acute care, critical care, general surgery, a level IV Emergency Department and a wide array of outpatient and diagnostic imaging services. More than 3,000 employees and medical providers work to provide exceptional healthcare, always for patients across Skagit Regional Health.