From Healing Complex Wounds to Nurturing Life’s Fragile Beginnings
As we recognize National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Cork Medical is honored to shed light on its partnership with the Milk Bank – a non-profit, community-supported organization that supplies lifesaving donated human milk to vulnerable infants whose mothers are unable to provide enough breast milk.
A Mission Made Personal
As part of Cork Medical’s mission to improve lives through innovative wound care solutions, the increase in demand for donated human milk inspired the team to extend its mission beyond wound care. Especially for Cork Medical President Mike Cates. He witnessed firsthand the benefits of donated human milk when his twin daughters were born 28 weeks prematurely. They lived in the neonatal intensive care unit for four months and relied on donated human milk for the nourishment and immune support needed to support their earliest days of life.
“The Milk Bank’s entire mission is centered around improving the lives of infants and their families," said Mike Cates, Cork Medical president.
"As our company’s missions align so well, it was important for Cork Medical to support the Milk Bank through our philanthropic initiatives. Team members who have already volunteered their time to this organization have seen that they are not only improving lives but potentially saving lives.”
The Milk Bank’s Impact on Infant Health
Since 2005, the Milk Bank has dispensed an estimated 17.9 million feedings across 48 states. The organization also leverages community resources to bring awareness to the health benefits of breastfeeding, build supportive systems for families, and promote public acceptance of breastfeeding amongst societal norms.
In 2025, the Milk Bank saw a 24% increase in the need for human milk, which led them to provide nearly 800,000 ounces of donated human milk to infants in need – its largest donation made in a single year. This is due to pasteurized donated human milk significantly reducing premature and medically fragile babies’ mortality rates, lowering healthcare expenditures, and shortening the length of hospital admissions.
Breastfeeding Awareness
Breastfeeding is one of the best sources of nutrition for infants because it contains essential antibodies babies need to develop strong immune systems. Breastfeeding also offers positive health benefits for mothers. According to the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), mothers who breastfed lowered their risk of developing several chronic diseases.
Despite these benefits, fewer than 50% of mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants for about the first six months of life. This is mainly because mothers may have medical conditions that affect their milk supply, difficulties with physical feeding methods, or are managing severe postpartum depression. When this happens, organizations like the Milk Bank offer vital alternatives for these infants.
Two Missions Connected by a Singular Purpose
Recognizing a growing need for donated human milk, Cork Medical partnered with the Milk Bank in 2025 to help support vulnerable infants and families during challenging moments. As the need for human milk continues to increase, Cork Medical’s support of the Milk Bank will become an extension of its mission to improve lives through innovative healthcare solutions.
“Supporting organizations like the Milk Bank is one way we can extend our impact beyond the patients who use our lifesaving wound care products,” said Blair O’Reilly, Cork Medical human resources manager.
“We’re strengthening our community, supporting families during challenging times, and contributing to better health outcomes for our smallest patients.”
Getting Involved
From healing complex wounds to supporting life's most fragile beginnings, Cork Medical's partnership with the Milk Bank demonstrates that improving lives extends beyond any single patient population.
We're grateful for the opportunity to partner with an organization whose work gives infants the strongest possible start in life and whose mission reflects our own—improving lives.
Learn more about the Milk Bank and how you can support them here.
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