Breastfeeding promotion pioneer and La Leche League co-founder, Viola
Lennon, has died in Park Ridge, Illinois aged 86.
She was one of seven women who started La Leche League in 1956 to spread
information on the then languishing practice of breast-feeding babies,
the Chicago Tribune reports.
She remained active with the league throughout her life, at the end of
which she was working on the eighth edition of "The Womanly Art of
Breastfeeding," first published by the league in 1958 as a loose-leaf
guide.
The mother of 10, Mrs Lennon was the league's chairman for five years
beginning in 1972. She led the group's Second Founding fundraising
effort in 1984 and expanded the league's Alumnae Association.
"She was very strong on fundraising and realized the importance of
having a board dedicated to looking for funding sources," fellow founder
Marian Tompson said.
Raised near Loyola University on Chicago's North Side, the former Viola
Brennan graduated from St Scholastica High School and received a
bachelor's degree from Mundelein College in economics.
She became active with the progressive Young Christian Workers
organization, where she met another young mother, Edwina Froehlich. They
found common interests, including good nutrition, just as the nation's
marketers were pitching women on the ease of convenient but heavily
processed foods.
At the time, breast-feeding was discouraged by many doctors, who instead
advocated feeding newborns infant formula. Mrs. Lennon rejected that
idea, breast-feeding all her children, including a set of twins.
FULL STORY @
Viola
Lennon, 1923 - 2010: Co-founder of La Leche League (Chicago
Tribune)
Viola Lennon Tribute (LLLI)
LINKS
La Leche
League
VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxsvpZL8_kY