Rachel Kiser
Blogger | Mom of Two

Superheroes don’t always wear capes. Sometimes they save the day donning a patched-up leather jacket and riding a motorcycle.

The New York Milk Bank in New York City provides valuable breast milk, sometimes affectionately called liquid gold, to area moms and premature babies who need it. Studies have shown that preemies actually develop faster when given breast milk, as opposed to formula. Cool, right? But there are some serious obstacles standing in the way of expedited milk delivery.

Julie Bouchet-Horwitz, the Milk Bank’s executive director, knew immediately that New York’s notorious traffic would be a problem. Getting the nutrient-rich breast milk to its recipients quickly is a priority of the Milk Bank, so they had to get creative. In the video above, Julie comments, “I always see these motorcyclists weaving in and out of traffic while we’re stuck, and I thought, what if milk has to get to a hospital right away? Maybe we should use a motorcycle rider to bring the milk in and out of Manhattan.”

Enter: a group of totally awesome women on bikes.

www.sirensnyc.com

The Sirens Women’s Motorcycle Club of New York City is made up of more than 40 women, comprising the oldest and largest club of its kind in the metropolitan area. In addition to the recreational activities they take part in, they’ve begun a very important, and some would say life-saving, partnership with the Milk Bank.

“It was pretty unanimous that we wanted to help out,” one member says.

While other vehicles find themselves locked up in the daily bumper-to-bumper traffic that big city life brings, the Sirens’ nimble bikes are able to expertly move through jams to deliver the precious goods packed onto the backs of their bikes.

Often, when babies are born prematurely, they are at risk for serious disease and infection, many of which are best fended off by breast milk’s amazing qualities. While breastfeeding rates have been on the rise in the past few years– approximately 77% of American mothers nurse their babies– many women are unable to do so because of medical conditions, premature delivery, or other factors. In these cases, The New York Milk Bank is there to help. They do their part to ensure that their donations are processed and sent out as quickly as possible– and the Sirens are there to save the day on their iron horses.

Not only are the Sirens using their position to bring sustenance to babies who need it, they’re also providing an awesome group of role models for girls everywhere. May we all be encouraged to use our unique gifts, talents, and passions for the good of others!

About Rachel Kiser

Rachel is a wife and mother living in Raleigh, North Carolina. She’s a fan of good coffee, wearer of gray t-shirts, and is constantly starting books she will never finish. Her family is her joy, and she loves to engage with other moms and dads on matters of parenting. Her blog posts have also been featured on the Today Show Parenting Blog and Scary Mommy.

View all posts by Rachel Kiser here.

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