Australian whose blood saved 2.4 million babies dies aged 88
What's the story
James Harrison OAM, the Australian blood donor popularly known as the "Man with the Golden Arm," has passed away at the age of 88.
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood confirmed his death, saying he passed away peacefully on February 17 at Peninsula Village Nursing Home on the NSW Central Coast, Australia.
Harrison's plasma contained a rare antibody called Anti-D, which prevents deadly antibodies from being passed from mothers to their babies during childbirth.
Lifesaving legacy
Harrison's lifetime of blood donations saved millions
Harrison started donating blood in 1954 when he was just 18 years old. Throughout his life, he made a staggering 1,173 donations until he retired in 2018 at 81.
His donations have been credited with saving over two million babies across the globe.
His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, called him a "humanitarian at heart" and thanked him for his life-saving donations.
Global impact
Lifeblood CEO praises Harrison's extraordinary generosity
Stephen Cornelissen, Lifeblood's CEO, praised Harrison's incredible generosity and its worldwide effect.
"James was a remarkable, stoically kind, and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving," Cornelissen said.
He emphasized Harrison thought all donors could be special in their own way.
Despite a personal loss—his wife Barbara's death—Harrison kept donating blood regularly, showing his unflinching dedication to helping others.
Lasting influence
Harrison's hope for future donors and ongoing legacy
"He leaves behind an incredible legacy, and it was his hope that one day, someone in Australia would beat his donation record," Cornelissen added.
Prior to the development of anti-D treatments in the mid-1960s, one out of every two babies with hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, or HDFN, died.
It's unclear how Harrison's blood became so high in anti-D, but some reports suggest it was due to the big blood transfusion he underwent at 14.