I'm aware of the research on the effectiveness of human milk components on cancer cells. Originally accidentally discovered by an immunology student at Lund University in Sweden circa 1995,research has been ongoing since in conjuction with Gothenburg University:
Heres some older info quoted from the web:
Breastmilk component kills cancer cells
'A few years ago immunology student, Anders Hakansson, of Lund University, Sweden, was experimenting by mixing human milk, cancer cells and bacteria. To his surprise the cancer cells were "acting up". Their volume was decreasing and their nuclei shrinking. Hakansson's supervisor, Catharina Svanborg, quickly recognized that the cancer cells were committing suicide. The phenomenon of apoptosis, whereby the body rids itself of old and unnecessary cells was well known, however for this to occur with cancer cells was unknown as their usual pattern is to reproduce in an uncontrolled fashion. Something in the breastmilk caused the cancer cells to self-destruct. Svanborg and her team had already done extensive investigation in the ability of breastmilk to protect the gut lining from invasive bacteria such as pneumococcus that causes the increased rates of upper respiratory tract infections and otitis media in children not breastfed. And so they began to track down the cancer-killing component in breastmilk. Then in 1995 they reported that the protein alpha-lactalbumin, or alpha-lac for short, was capable of targeting not only cancer cells but also other immature and rapidly growing cells, leaving stable, mature cells for growth and development. Alpha-lac's amazing capabilities may explain in part why formula fed infants suffer from increased rates of infectious diseases as well as childhood cancers.'
References:
- Discover Magazine, June 30, 1999
- Hakahsson, A. et al. Apoptosis induced by a human milk protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 92:8064-8068, 1995
Heres some links to more recent media reports on the subject & other human milk research:
www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1267548/Could-acid-breast-milk-answer-beating-cancer.html
www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1268987/Cancer-arthritis-diabetes-acne--breast-milk-new-wonder-cu re.html
www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1266682/The-acne-cure-mothers-breast-milk.html With my strange sense of humour when reading this report I suddenly had some rather amusing visions of spotty teens lurking around their local maternity unit in hope of a donation
Happy reading - hope the links work, but as for actually feeding your father directly from the breast Nooooooooooo! Hand expressing milk is often much gentler and comfortable than pumping for those that can do it, or failing that hiring a hospital grade breastpump which are usually more effective with a greater number of settings (for personal comfort) than shop bought ones.
'Int milk brilliant'- human of course lol!