A proud daughter, Georgia Browne, is not only breastfeeding her baby son, but also provides her breast milk to her dad who has colon cancer. Apparently, Browne read on the internet that breast milk can boost the immune system of people who are fighting cancer. As a result, she's been doing some extra pumping so that her dad can drown his corn flakes in her breast milk each morning. Would you do this for your dad???
Here's the link to the article that contains photos of the family, as well as the actual article pasted below:
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/new-idea/23524/i-breastfeed-my-dad/
As Georgia Browne breastfeeds her baby son Monty, nothing could seem more normal or natural. At eight months old, Monty thrives on his mother’s milk, but someone else is also thriving on Georgia’s milk – her father Tim!
That’s because Tim’s battling cancer. He drinks his daughter’s breastmilk every day to boost his immune system and give him the strength to fight the disease.
After researching the idea on the internet, Georgia, 27, expresses her breastmilk as often as she can for her father to drink. He has the milk on his bowl of cornflakes every morning. It’s been his daily routine for the past six months and Tim believes the milk has given him a boost.
A shock diagnosis
Georgia’s world was turned upside-down when her beloved dad was diagnosed with cancer in July 2007, just a week before she was due to get married.
Tim, 67, was admitted to hospital with stomach pains and within hours doctors discovered he had colon cancer. He was rushed into surgery where they operated to remove a tumour. But despite the major surgery, a tearful Tim was released in time to walk Georgia down the aisle.
‘It felt amazing having him at the wedding – it made it more emotional for everyone,’ she says. After the wedding, Georgia’s family rallied to support Tim as he went for further tests and treatment. But within weeks, he was told the cancer had spread. And soon after the family received even more devastating news – the cancer was terminal.
‘It was a terrible shock. He’d never been ill before,’ Georgia says. ‘He still is really fit. He goes to the gym three times a week.’ Tim endured gruelling chemotherapy and after a year went into remission. But the cancer returned when Georgia was pregnant with her first child.
Life-saving milk
Georgia gave birth to Monty last July and began breastfeeding. A month later, she watched a TV documentary in which an American man believed his prostate cancer had been helped because he drank breastmilk.
‘The man went to a milk bank for his supply of breastmilk and drank it in a milkshake,’ Georgia recalls. ‘I started researching on the internet immediately and found separate studies in America and Scandinavia both supporting the health benefits of breastmilk to cancer sufferers.
‘I watched the documentary and thought it was a really mad idea, if it was true,’ she says. 'I started looking on the net and found research suggesting breastmilk helps kill cancer cells.
‘Finding out I could help was amazing. I could play my small part in helping my dad do something positive for his illness. 'When I talked to him about it, he thought it was a great idea. He thought: “Why not?”’
Seeking support
Georgia broached the subject with her family before going ahead. They all thought it was fantastic and supported her 100 per cent. ‘My mum thought it was great and my sisters and brother were supportive,’ she says.
With the family’s blessing, Georgia started expressing her milk for Tim straight away. She dropped the first batch round to her parents’ home in a freezer bag, which her mum popped in the freezer.
‘I thought he’d mix it into a milkshake like the man in the documentary, but when Mum defrosted it the next day, he simply poured it on his cornflakes with a splash of normal cow’s milk. He said it didn’t taste that different to cow’s milk, maybe just a bit sweeter if he didn’t get the mix right,’ Georgia says.
‘I know some people think it’s shocking but we didn’t think it was shocking at all. He thought it was funny. He was telling all his friends about it.’
Tim spoke to his doctors and nurses about drinking breastmilk and they were more than happy for him to try the unconventional treatment. 'They told him that anything that could help was positive,’ Georgia explains. ‘They were very supportive and backed the idea.’
Hope at last
A month after starting the regimen, a scan of Tim’s cancer showed a slight, but distinct, improvement. Although doctors can’t say whether the breastmilk’s helped, Georgia says he’s brighter and has more energy.
She has promised to continue feeding Tim for as long as she can. 'He has been having chemo as well as drinking the milk so there’s no way of really finding out if it is helping,’ Georgia explains. ‘I’m still feeding Monty so I feed him first, then I fill a bag for my dad. We’ll continue as long as I am breastfeeding.
‘It feels like I’m doing the most natural thing for the people I love. 'I’ve been there when he has drunk it and it’s just not an issue. 'Not many women can say their dad drinks their breastmilk. But I would do anything to give my dad more time with me, our family and Monty.’
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Add a Comment9 Comments
Thanks Kristin....I agree...we were just having a little fun! I'm sure that any of us would give our very limbs away to save a loved one's life...it's just a funny image....and bizarre.
April 24, 2009 - 1:46pmWe shouldn't take it all so seriously...it IS funny!
This Comment
Absolutely! Women's health shouldn't be all serious. ;) I've already cried twice today over a mom's post about her young daughter's health struggles. Any chance for a laugh is more than welcome!!!
April 24, 2009 - 1:52pmThis Comment
Well, sure, and I'd cut off my right arm for my child....no question -- if a loved one needed an organ or anything else that I could possibly give, I would without hesitation. The basic concept of giving isn't what we're having a little "eewww" fun with here. It's the image of a woman breastfeeding her dad. Lighten up, you guys! It's Friday!!
April 24, 2009 - 12:17pmThis Comment
I think it's interesting that this story gets this reaction. There is nothing actually offensive going on here here, and yet the reaction is visceral.
The only reason this is any different than giving blood is that in this case, the hopeful life-giving fluid comes from the breast. But it's being expressed, so I actually see very little difference.
We know that breast milk contains the biggest and most complete set of antibiodies we can hope to give our babies. Doesn't it make some sense that there are disease-fighting properties we don't know about?
I would absolutely do this for any family member if I thought (and in fact if there was some proof, for which this woman went searching) that it was going to help them fight cancer. It's just expressing milk and putting it in the fridge. It's full of antibodies and it's so healthful and nutritious that scientists can't even analyze it completely.
The squeamish factor comes from the thought. A father drinking a daughter's breast milk. But what if a study was done that said that breast milk would help childhood leukemia patients? What if it was your own 12- or 14- or 22-year-old child? Would you pump breast milk for them if you believed the antibodies would help them fight the cancer better?
Of course you would. It would be a pretty quick trip from "ick" to "absolutely." Because the possibility of helping cure your family member's cancer would so override any first reaction that you'd get there in a nanosecond. You'd deal with the slight "ewww" factor in a hurry, I think. And so would I. For my mom, my sister, her kids, etc. It's just like donating blood.
Of course the line is drawn -- the breast milk would need to always be expressed. I share the "ewww" factor on the Little Britain skit...
April 24, 2009 - 6:25amThis Comment
Have you ever seen Little Britain? There's a skit on there about a 40 year old man who still feeds from his mother's breast....LOL
April 23, 2009 - 4:50pmThis Comment
OK - now THAT made me gag, lol!
April 23, 2009 - 5:01pmThis Comment
Double eewwww!!!!
April 23, 2009 - 5:03pmThis Comment
Sorry...but that story made me actually gag! LOL. But, if it works...great!
April 23, 2009 - 4:27pmI hate milk so much anyhow and the thought of putting a woman's milk in my food is aesthetically and nauseatingly unappealing.
But like I said, if it can cure cancer...fire ahead.
Interesting story..thanks!
This Comment
Yeah, I'm with you. Even though she pumped her breast milk, I still can't shake the image of her dad latching on for his daily dose.......eewwww......
April 23, 2009 - 4:38pmThis Comment