Sorry, you’re not able to donate breast milk
Anyone who lived in the UK for six months or more between 1980 and 1996 can’t give milk because of their potential exposure to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD, the human form of ‘mad cow disease’).
Though the number of cases of vCJD in UK is declining, we still don’t know the full extent of the exposure during this period or how it could be passed on. And, if someone were exposed, the disease can lay dormant for decades before they show symptoms.
There’s currently no test available for vCJD suitable for screening donors. This brain disease is incurable and usually fatal, so we have to be careful.
In the meantime, find out other ways you can get involved at Lifeblood.
Anyone who lived in the UK for six months or more between 1980 and 1996 can’t give milk because of their potential exposure to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD, the human form of ‘mad cow disease’).
Though the number of cases of vCJD in UK is declining, we still don’t know the full extent of the exposure during this period or how it could be passed on. And, if someone were exposed, the disease can lay dormant for decades before they show symptoms.
There’s currently no test available for vCJD suitable for screening donors. This brain disease is incurable and usually fatal, so we have to be careful.
In the meantime, find out other ways you can get involved at Lifeblood.
