James Harrison, the man who saved more than two million Australian babies by donating his blood plasma, has died. He was 88.
Harrison “passed away peacefully in his sleep” at Peninsula Village Nursing Home in his native Australia on Feb. 17, the Australian Red Cross blood service Lifeblood announced on Saturday, March 1.
The 88-year-old, nicknamed “the man with the golden arm,” donated blood plasma more than 1,100 times to protect unborn babies from Rhesus D Haemolytic Disease, according to the organization. The deadly condition causes the blood of pregnant women to attack a baby’s blood cells, which can cause brain damage, heart failure, and death.
Harrison began donating blood at age 18 after being inspired when he underwent surgery at 14 years old and needed 13 units of blood. Doctors later discovered that his blood contained the rare antibody Anti-D, used to develop lifesaving medication for pregnant mothers-to-be at risk of Rhesus D Haemolytic Disease and asked him to donate his plasma, per Lifeblood.
Harrison pictured with a baby.
Harrison’s daughter, Tracey Mellowship, described her late father as “a humanitarian at heart” in the announcement of his death.
“In his last years, he was immensely proud to become a great grandfather to two beautiful grandchildren, Trey and Addison. As an Anti-D recipient myself, he has left behind a family that may not have existed without his precious donations,” she said.
“He was also 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,” she concluded.
Harrison donated his blood plasma for the last time in 2018 at the age of 81. He gave a record of 1,162 donations from his right arm and 10 from his left arm throughout his life.
“It’s a sad day for me,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald at the time of his last donation. “The end of a long run.”
Harrison was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his support for Lifeblood and donations towards the Anti-D program in 1999, per NBC News.
Lifeblood Chief Executive Officer Stephen Cornelissen said in a statement following his death, “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.”
“…James extended his arm to help others and babies he would never know a remarkable 1173 times and expected nothing in return. He continued to donate even in his darkest days, after the passing of his wife Barbara, who was also a blood donor, and helped inspire his career as a lifesaver.”
