Tennis icon Serena Williams has decided to donate excess breast milk to strangers, showcasing her generosity and desire to help others. Following a recent trip to New York, where she had leftover breast milk, Williams took to Instagram to share her intention to donate it to those in need.
In a video shared on the platform, Williams can be seen opening a freezer containing the breast milk, expressing her excitement to contribute in some way. She emphasized that the donation would be anonymous and mentioned that she underwent screening before being approved to donate.
Although she didn’t specify the organization, Williams’s gesture resonated deeply with her followers, who lauded the lucky recipients of her breast milk. With 23 Grand Slam titles, former top-ranked status, and four Olympic gold medals, Williams’s fans playfully referred to her breast milk as “G.O.A.T. Milk” and hailed it as the “milk of champions” and “golden milk.” The act of donating her breast milk reflects Williams’s compassionate nature and desire to make a positive impact beyond the tennis court.
“The kid will never hear the end of it,” wrote another commenter. “‘I gave you Serena Williams milk and you only got a B+?’ ‘I gave you Serena Williams milk and you only got the bronze medal?’ ‘I gave you Serena Williams milk and you won’t do your chores?'”
Many of Serena Williams’ followers echoed the sentiment, applauding her generous donation. Several also shared personal experiences about how donated breast milk had been instrumental in nourishing their own children during infancy. While research indicates that donated breast milk may not replicate the exact composition of a mother’s own milk, it remains a superior option to formula for babies, as noted by Diane Spatz, the director of the lactation program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Spatz, who oversees the Mothers’ Milk Bank at CHOP, which is part of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), explained that these nonprofit milk banks in the U.S. supply donated breast milk to medically needy infants. Currently, there are only 27 HMBANA-endorsed milk banks across the country.