Upon becoming a Mothers’ Milk Bank California milk donor last year, Anna Pangilinan learned that she shares the title with her mom, Leslie.
In the middle of her surrogacy journey in 1996, Leslie Gilbertson discovered Mothers’ Milk Bank California (MMBCA) after seeing firsthand the nourishment that breastmilk provided for three of her own children, and deciding she wanted to share it with others. Without realizing it, Leslie had started a tradition – one that would come full circle three decades later.
Leslie’s children were small and her life was full, but she recalls driving more than 40 miles from her home in South San Francisco to Mothers’ Milk Bank in San Jose to drop off 1,000+ ounces of milk. Donating her breastmilk felt like a natural extension of how she already showed up in the world, helping others live fuller, healthier lives in any way she could – with regular blood and platelet donations, and carrying hope for other families by way of two surrogate pregnancies.
Fast forward 30 years to this past August, and Leslie’s daughter, Anna, gave birth to her first child – Leslie’s grandson, June. Like many families whose stories intersect with donor milk, Anna’s journey took an unexpected turn when June needed to spend his first few days in the NICU at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, CA. Those days changed everything for her. When she finally brought her baby home, Anna reached back out to the NICU to ask about milk donation. She was connected to Mothers’ Milk Bank, a place her mother knew well. Soon, she found herself doing something unexpectedly familiar: packing up frozen milk and driving it to San Jose.
“It’s hard to describe the desperation you feel when you can’t bring your baby home with you,” Anna shared about her days in the NICU with June. In that vulnerable space, where every feeding feels monumental and every decision carries weight, Anna saw firsthand how critical donor milk can be. “If donating my milk can help even one parent feel less anxious about their baby’s health, it’s worth it.”
For Anna, the donor experience has been powerful in ways she hadn’t anticipated. During one dropoff at MMBCA headquarters, she encountered a father who was here to pick up milk for his baby. He thanked her for making it possible to feed his child. The moment stayed with her. “Breastfeeding in any form isn’t easy,” she says, “but the ability to nourish my own baby and help other families at the same time feels deeply meaningful.”
For Leslie, watching Anna donate her own milk brings her profound pride. “The process has hardly changed in 30 years – just with tighter controls and more advanced screening and pasteurization, which is a great way to ensure the safety of recipients,” she says. “I’m so thrilled that Anna is able to donate to continue the legacy of helping others through our breastmilk donations.”
Today, Anna encourages any pumping parent to consider becoming a donor. Yes, it clears freezer space (a real bonus, she laughs). But more importantly, it offers something invaluable to families who are navigating some of the hardest days of their lives. “It feels surreal to donate to the same milk bank that my mom donated to 30 years ago. I wasn’t at all surprised to learn that she had also donated milk – it’s absolutely in line with her generosity, which comes in all forms. I was surprised, though, to learn that she donated it to MMBCA. It’s just one of the many ways in which I’m proud to follow in her footsteps.”
To create a lasting legacy of milk donation and help nourish fragile infants with lifesaving nutrition, become a donor today.
