James Harrison, Blood Donor Who Saved Millions of Babies, Passes Away at 88

James Harrison's unique blood saved over two million babies from a deadly condition, earning him the title "man with the golden arm."

James Harrison, an Australian renowned for his extraordinary contributions as a blood donor, passed away peacefully in his sleep at a nursing home in New South Wales on February 17. He was 88 years old. Often referred to as "the man with the golden arm," Harrison's blood plasma contained a rare antibody called Anti-D, which has been instrumental in saving the lives of more than two million babies at risk of a severe blood disorder.

Harrison's journey as a donor began when he was just a teenager. After receiving transfusions during a critical chest surgery at age 14, he pledged to help others by donating blood. He started giving blood plasma regularly at the age of 18 and maintained this routine every two weeks until he was 81. His contributions were so significant that in 2005, he held the world record for the most blood plasma donated—a title that stood until 2022.

His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, spoke about Harrison's pride in saving lives without causing any pain or cost to others. She shared that both she and two of Harrison's grandchildren benefitted from anti-D immunizations, illustrating the widespread impact of his donations. Anti-D injections are vital for preventing a dangerous condition called hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN), which arises when a pregnant mother’s blood attacks her unborn baby’s blood cells.

Before the advent of anti-D interventions in the mid-1960s, HDFN had a high mortality rate among affected infants. Despite the increasing demand for anti-D treatments, there are fewer than 200 donors in Australia capable of producing these life-saving antibodies. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service, known as Lifeblood, is actively researching ways to cultivate these critical antibodies in laboratories, hoping to broaden the reach of this therapy for pregnant women globally.

As tributes pour in, Harrison's legacy will continue to resonate through the countless families whose lives he helped save.