
One of the world’s most prolific blood donors – whose plasma saved the lives of more than 2 million babies – has died. James Harrison died in his sleep at a nursing home in New South Wales, Australia on 17 February, his family said yesterday.
He was aged 88. Known in Australia as the man with the golden arm, Harrison’s blood contained a rare antibody, Anti-D, which is used to make medication given to pregnant mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies, reports the BBC.
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service who paid tribute to Harrison, said he had pledged to become a donor after receiving transfusions while undergoing a major chest surgery when he was 14. He started donating his blood plasma when he was 18 and continued doing so every two weeks until he was 81.