James Harrison, Lifesaving Blood Donor Known as 'The Man with the Golden Arm,' Dies at 88

Harrison's rare antibodies helped develop a treatment that has saved millions of babies from a deadly pregnancy-related condition.

James Harrison, an Australian blood donor whose rare Anti-D antibodies were used to treat Rhesus disease, passed away on February 17 at age 88.
Over six decades, Harrison donated blood 1,173 times, helping to save the lives of more than 2.4 million babies in Australia and beyond.
His plasma was crucial in developing Anti-D injections, which prevent Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) by protecting babies from their mothers' immune systems.
Harrison began donating blood at 18 after receiving life-saving transfusions during surgery at age 14, despite his lifelong fear of needles.
Researchers are now working on a synthetic version of the Anti-D antibody, nicknamed 'James in a Jar,' inspired by Harrison's contributions.