When the World Breastfeeding Week was observed in August last year, it was a momentous day for Hanna Sarah Prince, an echo cardiographer at the General Hospital, Ernakulam. She was felicitated at the event for donating breastmilk to Nectar of Life, the human milk bank set up at the hospital. Narrating her story is the documentary, Hanna, directed by Vinu Janardanan.
“When I came across a small news report about Hanna being honoured at the event, I was curious and wanted to learn more about the bank. Once I read up more on the topic I realised the importance of her work. That’s when I decided to document Hanna’s gesture,” says Vinu.
The 17.07-minute documentary is also an attempt at creating awareness about breastmilk donation, he says. “It is a fact that the first milk that a newborn receives is crucial for the baby’s health. According to UNICEF, only 56% newborns in India receive breastmilk within the first hour of their birth,” Vinu adds.
