Iconic Australian Blood Donor James Harrison, Who Saved 2.4 Million Babies, Dies at 88

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James Harrison, known as the "man with the golden arm," has passed away at the age of 88 at a nursing home in New South Wales, Australia, as confirmed by his family. Harrison's blood plasma contained a rare antibody, Anti-D, vital for treating pregnant women whose blood could harm their unborn babies. Over his lifetime, he donated plasma biweekly, saving more than 2 million lives, according to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.

Harrison began his donation journey after receiving transfusions for a chest surgery at age 14. His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, shared that he took immense pride in saving lives freely and without pain, emphasizing the importance of his contributions. Anti-D immunizations, developed since the mid-1960s, now protect unborn babies from haemolytic disease, a condition that was once fatally common.

Despite there being fewer than 200 active Anti-D donors in Australia today, their contributions support around 45,000 mothers annually. Lifeblood has collaborated with researchers to cultivate lab-made Anti-D antibodies, a project that experts hope will extend support to pregnant women globally.

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