James Harrison, Australia's most prolific blood donor, dies aged 88
March 3 (UPI) -- James Harrison, Australia's most prolific blood and plasma donor, who is credited with saving millions of babies, has passed away, the Oceanic country's Red Cross Lifeblood confirmed. He was 88.
Harrison died in his sleep Feb. 17 at Peninsula Village Nursing Home in the state of New South Wales, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood said in a statement.
"James was a humanitarian at heart, but also very funny," his daughter, Tracey Mellowship, said, adding that her father was "very proud to have saved so many lives, without any cost or pain."
"It made him happy to hear about the many families like ours, who existed because of his kindness. He always said it does not hurt, and the life you save could be your own."
Harrison is one of very few people whose plasma contains Anti-D, a rare antibody used to make Anti-D Immunoglobulin injections for mothers with RH(D) negative blood. The medication can help prevent the mother's immune system from attacking the red blood cells of their Rh(D) positive unborn child.
Anti-D was only discovered in the 1960s, and Australia has about 115 people with the rare antibodies who regularly donate blood, which helps around 45,000 mothers and their babies annually, according to Red Cross Lifeblood.
Harrison had vowed as a 14-year-old to become a donor after receiving blood transfusions following lung surgery, and starting at the age of 18, he donated every two weeks -- never missing an appointment -- until retiring in 2018, at the age of 81, it said.
According to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Harrison donated plasma more than 1,100 times, earning him the moniker The Man with the Golden Arm. His donations are credited with saving more than 2.4 million babies.
"It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donor, and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was," Lifeblood Chief Executive Officer Stephen Cornelissen said in tribute to Harrison.
"James extended his arm to help others and babies he would never know a remarkable 1,173 times and expected nothing in return."
"He leaves behind an incredible legacy, and it was his hope that one day, someone in Australia would beat his donation record."
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