James Harrison, the 'man with the golden arm,' dies at 88 after saving 2.4 million babies

An Australian man who saved the lives of 2.4 million babies through his world record-breaking plasma donations has died aged 88.

James Harrison, a railway department clerk, fondly known as the "Man with the Golden Arm" died at a nursing home in New South Wales, Australia.

Who was James Harrison?

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A Guinness World Record holder, Harrison, in 2005 established the world record for most plasma donations. Throughout his life, he made 1,173 donations, a record that was broken recently in 2022 by Brett Cooper, from Walker, Michigan.

Harrison's grandson, Jarrod Mellowship, told Mirror UK that his grandfather donated blood "for the right reasons. As humble as he was, he did like the attention. But he would never do it for the attention."

The "Man with the Golden Arm" was apparently scared of needles but despite his fear he started donating in 1954, at the age of 18 and continued donating till he was 81.

Lifeblood, a national agency responsible for collecting and distributing blood products said that his donations saved the lives of 2.4 million babies.

"A donor for more than 60 years, our very own Man with the Golden Arm donated 1,173 times, contributing to 3 million doses of anti-D for Australian babies," said the Australian Red Cross.

James Harrison's rare blood

His blood contained a rare antibody known as anti-D, which is used to make injections that protect unborn babies from a deadly condition called Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn, or HDFN.

Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn causes the mother's immune system to attack the foetus's red blood cells. In Australia only 200 blood donors have the anti-D antibody and these donors help 45,000 mothers and their babies annually.

"It was thanks to James' prolific efforts as a blood donor that Australia became the first country in the world to be self-sufficient in the supply of anti-D," said Lifeblood.

Harrison is survived by his sister Margaret Thrift, his daughter Tracey Mellowship, two grandsons and four great grandchildren.

(With inputs from agencies)