Latest news with #AustralianRedCrossBloodService
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Australian Man Whose Blood Donations Saved Millions Dies Age 88
An Australian man who donated blood plasma every three weeks for the past 70 years has died at the age of 88. James Harrison had an antibody in his blood that is used to create the Anti-D injection that routinely stops the immune systems of women with rhesus-negative blood from attacking their unborn rhesus-positive children. His generosity saved the lives of more than 2 million babies vulnerable to rhesus disease thanks to his unique antibodies, according to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. When he was 14, Harrison benefitted from a life-saving blood transfusion during a lung operation, and started donating blood as soon as he was old enough. Around that time, thousands of babies were dying each year from what would later be diagnosed as rhesus disease. But doctors soon discovered that Harrison's blood carried a rare antibody that was known to stop women with rhesus-negative blood from developing antibodies against their children, and in the 1960s they used Harrison's plasma to create the Anti-D injection, which is now routinely used to help women safely carry rhesus-positive babies to term. "Australia was one of the first countries to discover a blood donor with this antibody, so it was quite revolutionary at the time," Jemma Falkenmire from the Australian Red Cross Blood Service told CNN in 2015. And while they've since found 50 other people in the country who carry the same antibody, this blood characteristic is still extremely rare. "Every bag of blood is precious, but James' blood is particularly extraordinary. Every batch of Anti-D that has ever been made in Australia has come from James' blood," added Falkenmire. "And more than 17 percent of women in Australia are at risk, so James has helped save a lot of lives." Scientists still aren't quite sure why Harrison's blood carried these antibodies, but they believe it could have to do with the transfusions he received as a child during lung surgery. They're now hoping to find more blood donors with similar antibodies in their blood to take his place in the future. This article is a modified version of a story published in June 2015. Brain Autopsies Reveal a Potential Culprit Behind Alzheimer's Giving Up Already? Here Are 5 Tips For Staying on Top of Your Goals. Paradox-Busting Study Finds Bigger Animals Really Are at Greater Risk of Cancer
CBS News
04-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
James Harrison, credited with saving 2.4 million babies via blood plasma donations, dies at 88
Melbourne, Australia — An Australian man credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades, has died, his family said Tuesday. He was 88. James Harrison, a retired state railway department clerk, died in a nursing home on the central coast of New South Wales state on Feb. 17, according to his grandson, Jarrod Mellowship. Harrison's plasma contained a rare antibody known as anti-D. It's used to make injections that protect unborn babies from hemolytic disease of the newborn, in which a pregnant woman's immune system attacks her fetus' red blood cells. The disease is most common when a woman has an Rh-negative blood type and her baby's is Rh-positive. Australia has only 200 anti-D donors. They help 45,000 mothers and their babies annually. Despite an aversion to needles, Harrison made 1,173 donations after he turned 18 in 1954 until he was forced to retire in 2018, at the age of 81. "He did it for the right reasons. As humble as he was, he did like the attention. But he would never do it for the attention," Mellowship said, adding his grandfather had been surprised to be recognized by Guinness World Records in 2005 as the person who had donated the most blood plasma in the world. The record was beaten in 2022 by American Brett Cooper from Walker, Michigan. Australian blood service pays tribute to James Harrison The Australian Red Cross Blood Service said Harrison was renowned as the "Man with the Golden Arm." That national agency, which is responsible for collecting and distributing blood products, is also known as Lifeblood. Its chief executive, Stephen Cornelissen, said Harrison had hoped that someone in Australia would one day beat his donation record. "James was a remarkable, stoically kind and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving, and he captured the hearts of many people around the world," Cornelissen said in a statement. "It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors' and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was," Cornelissen added. Lifeblood said that, "It's with enormous gratitude that we acknowledge the generous life of James Harrison. ... We thank James for the incredible contribution he made and the millions of lives he has saved." Mellowship said his mother, Tracey Mellowship, Harrison's daughter, needed the treatment when he and his brother, Scott, were born. Jarrod Mellowship said his own wife, Rebecca, also needed the treatment when three of their four children were born. How James Harrison's blood might have acquired its unique feature There is speculation that Harrison developed high concentrations of anti-D as a result of his own blood transfusions during major lung surgery when he was 14. "After the surgery, his dad, Reg, told grandad you're only really alive because people donated blood," Jarrod Mellowship said. "The day he turned 18, he started donating." The application of anti-D in fighting hemolytic disease of the newborn wasn't discovered until the 1960s. Harrison, who was born in New South Wales, is survived by his sister, Margaret Thrift, his daughter, two grandsons and four great-grandchildren.
Voice of America
04-03-2025
- Health
- Voice of America
James Harrison, whose blood plasma donations are credited with saving 2.4 million babies, dies at 88
James Harrison, whose blood plasma donations are credited with An Australian man credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades, has died at 88, his family said Tuesday. James Harrison, a retired state railway department clerk, died in a nursing home on the central coast of New South Wales state on Feb. 17, according to his grandson, Jarrod Mellowship. Harrison had been surprised to be recognized by Guinness World Records in 2005 as the person who had donated the most blood plasma in the world, Mellowship said. Despite an aversion to needles, he made 1,173 donations after he turned 18 in 1954 until he was forced to retire in 2018 at age 81. 'He did it for the right reasons. As humble as he was, he did like the attention. But he would never do it for the attention,' Mellowship said. The record was beaten in 2022 by American Brett Cooper from Walker, Michigan. Australian Red Cross Blood Service pays tribute to donor The Australian Red Cross Blood Service said Harrison was renowned as the 'Man with the Golden Arm.' He was credited with saving the lives of 2.4 million babies through his plasma donations, the national agency responsible for collecting and distributing blood products, also known as Lifeblood, said in a statement. Harrison's plasma contained a rare antibody known as anti-D. The antibody is used to make injections that protect unborn babies from hemolytic disease of the newborn, in which a pregnant woman's immune system attacks her fetus' red blood cells. The disease is most common when a woman has an Rh negative blood type and her baby's is Rh positive. Australia has only 200 anti-D donors who help 45,000 mothers and their babies annually. Lifeblood chief executive Stephen Cornelissen said Harrison had hoped that someone in Australia would one day beat his donation record. 'James was a remarkable, stoically kind and generous person, who was committed to a lifetime of giving, and he captured the hearts of many people around the world,' Cornelissen said in a statement. 'It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors' and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was,' Cornelissen added. Antibody helps donor's family Mellowship said his mother, Tracey Mellowship, Harrison's daughter, needed the treatment when he and his brother Scott were born. Jarrod Mellowship said his own wife, Rebecca Mellowship, also needed the treatment when three of their four children were born. There is speculation that Harrison developed a high concentrations of anti-D as a result of his own blood transfusions during major lung surgery when he was 14 years old. 'After the surgery, his dad Reg told grandad, you're only really alive because people donated blood,' Jarrod Mellowship said. 'The day he turned 18, he started donating.' The application of anti-D in fighting hemolytic disease of the newborn was not discovered until the 1960s. Harrison was born in Junee in New South Wales. He is survived by his sister Margaret Thrift, his daughter, two grandsons and four great grandchildren.
Asharq Al-Awsat
04-03-2025
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Australia's Most Generous Blood Plasma Donor Dies Aged 88
An Australian man credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades, has died aged 88, his family said on Tuesday. James Harrison, a retired state railway department clerk, died in a nursing home where he had lived for five weeks on the Central Coast of New South Wales state on Feb. 17, according to his grandson, Jarrod Mellowship. Harrison had been surprised to be recognized by Guinness World Records in 2005 as the person who had donated the most blood plasma in the world, Mellowship said. Despite an aversion to needles, he made 1,173 donations after he turned 18 in 1954 until he was forced to retire in 2018, aged 81. 'He did it for the right reasons. As humble as he was, he did like the attention. But he would never do it for the attention,' Mellowship said. The record was beaten in 2022 by American Brett Cooper from Walker, Michigan. Australian Red Cross Blood Service pays tribute to donor The Australian Red Cross Blood Service said Harrison was renowned as the 'Man with the Golden Arm.' He was credited with saving the lives of 2.4 million babies through his plasma donations, the national agency responsible for collecting and distributing blood products, also known as Lifeblood, said in a statement. Harrison's plasma contained a rare antibody known as anti-D. The antibody is used to make injections that protect unborn babies from a deadly condition called Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn, or HDFN. The disease causes a pregnant woman's immune system to attack the fetus's red blood cells. Australia has only 200 anti-D donors who help 45,000 mothers and their babies annually. Lifeblood chief executive Stephen Cornelissen said Harrison had hoped that someone in Australia would one day beat his donation record. 'James was a remarkable, stoically kind and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world,' Cornelissen said in a statement. 'It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors' and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was,' Cornelissen added. Antibody helps donor's family Mellowship said his mother, Tracey Mellowship, Harrison's daughter, needed the treatment when he and his brother Scott were born. Jarrod Mellowship said his own wife, Rebecca Mellowship, also needed the treatment when three of their four children were born. There is speculation that Harrison developed a high concentrations of anti-D as a result of his own blood transfusions during major lung surgery when he was 14 years old. 'After the surgery, his dad Reg told grandad you're only really alive because people donated blood,' Jarrod Mellowship said. 'The day he turned 18, he started donating.' The application of anti-D in fighting HDFN was not discovered until the 1960s. Harrison was born in Junee in New South Wales. He is survived by his sister Margaret Thrift, his daughter, two grandsons and four great grandchildren.
The Independent
04-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Australia's most generous blood plasma donor dies aged 88
An Australian man credited with saving 2.4 million babies through his record-breaking blood plasma donations over six decades, has died aged 88, his family said on Tuesday. James Harrison, a retired state railway department clerk, died in a nursing home where he had lived for five weeks on the Central Coast of New South Wales state on Feb. 17, according to his grandson, Jarrod Mellowship. Harrison had been surprised to be recognized by Guinness World Records in 2005 as the person who had donated the most blood plasma in the world, Mellowship said. Despite an aversion to needles, he made 1,173 donations after he turned 18 in 1954 until he was forced to retire in 2018, aged 81. 'He did it for the right reasons. As humble as he was, he did like the attention. But he would never do it for the attention,' Mellowship said. The record was beaten in 2022 by American Brett Cooper from Walker, Michigan. Australian Red Cross Blood Service pays tribute to donor The Australian Red Cross Blood Service said Harrison was renowned as the 'Man with the Golden Arm.' He was credited with saving the lives of 2.4 million babies through his plasma donations, the national agency responsible for collecting and distributing blood products, also known as Lifeblood, said in a statement. Harrison's plasma contained a rare antibody known as anti-D. The antibody is used to make injections that protect unborn babies from a deadly condition called Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn, or HDFN. The disease causes a pregnant woman's immune system to attack the fetus's red blood cells. Australia has only 200 anti-D donors who help 45,000 mothers and their babies annually. Lifeblood chief executive Stephen Cornelissen said Harrison had hoped that someone in Australia would one day beat his donation record. 'James was a remarkable, stoically kind and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world,' Cornelissen said in a statement. 'It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors' and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was,' Cornelissen added. Antibody helps donor's family Mellowship said his mother, Tracey Mellowship, Harrison's daughter, needed the treatment when he and his brother Scott were born. Jarrod Mellowship said his own wife, Rebecca Mellowship, also needed the treatment when three of their four children were born. There is speculation that Harrison developed a high concentrations of anti-D as a result of his own blood transfusions during major lung surgery when he was 14 years old. 'After the surgery, his dad Reg told grandad you're only really alive because people donated blood,' Jarrod Mellowship said. 'The day he turned 18, he started donating.' The application of anti-D in fighting HDFN was not discovered until the 1960s. Harrison was born in Junee in New South Wales. He is survived by his sister Margaret Thrift, his daughter, two grandsons and four great grandchildren.
