‘Man with the golden arm’: Australian who saved lives of 2.4 million babies, dies at the age of 88

James Harrison, an Australian known for his rare blood plasma that helped save the lives of more than 2.4 million babies, has died at the age of 88. His family confirmed that he passed away in his sleep at a nursing home in New South Wales on 17 February.

Harrison, referred to as the “man with the golden arm,” carried a rare antibody, Anti-D, in his blood, which was used to create medication for pregnant women at risk of their immune system attacking their unborn child.

James Harrison, an Australian blood donor whose rare plasma helped save the lives of more than 2.4 million babies, has died at the age of 88. His family confirmed that he passed away in his sleep at a nursing home in New South Wales on 17 February. Harrison, known as the “man with the golden arm,” had a rare antibody in his blood called Anti-D, which was used to create medication for pregnant women at risk of their immune system attacking their unborn babies.

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Harrison began donating blood plasma at 18 and continued every two weeks until the age of 81. He had pledged to become a donor after undergoing major chest surgery at 14, during which he received multiple blood transfusions.

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service, also known as Lifeblood, paid tribute to Harrison, recognising his decades of commitment to blood donation. In 2005, he held the world record for the most blood plasma donations, a title he maintained until 2022. His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, said he took pride in the lives he had helped save and encouraged others to donate, saying the process was painless and could one day save their own lives. She and two of Harrison’s grandchildren were also recipients of Anti-D immunisations.

Anti-D injections

Anti-D injections are used to prevent haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn (HDFN), a condition that arises when a mother’s immune system attacks an unborn baby’s red blood cells due to blood type incompatibility. Before the introduction of Anti-D treatment in the 1960s, the condition had a high fatality rate, with half of the affected babies not surviving. Harrison’s ability to produce Anti-D in high quantities may have been linked to the extensive blood transfusions he received as a teenager.

Currently, fewer than 200 donors in Australia provide Anti-D plasma, supporting approximately 45,000 mothers and babies each year. Lifeblood, in collaboration with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, is working to replicate Anti-D antibodies in a laboratory to develop a synthetic alternative.

Researchers hope that lab-produced Anti-D can eventually be made available to pregnant women worldwide. Lifeblood’s research director, David Irving, noted the challenges in maintaining a steady supply, as only a small number of donors can produce antibodies in the required quality and quantity. The development of an alternative treatment remains a priority for researchers.

(With input from agencies)