We so frequently hear it in passing: "Donate blood, save a life." But one man's blood is so sought-after, he's helped save millions of lives. He's frequently referred to as "The Man with the Golden Arm."
James Harrison, 78, of Central Coast, Australia tells the Sydney Morning Herald that he's donated 800 mL of blood plasma daily for the last 60-some-odd years. He them he's made 1106 donations in total. By their estimates, doctors say he's helped save the lives of 2 million babies. Harrison possesses an antibody in his blood
CNN reports that the Anti-D antibody helps combat a genetic condition called Rh disease in pregnant mothers. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, "If you're Rh-negative and your baby is Rh-positive, your body will react to the baby's blood as a foreign substance. It will create antibodies (proteins) against the baby's blood." There are varying degrees to which this might affect the baby, but it can lead to stillbirth or anemia in the most severe cases. And Harrison's blood type is the key to treatment of Rh incompatibility.
"Every bag of blood is precious, but James' blood is particularly extraordinary," Jemma Falkenmire, a representative for the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, told CNN. "His blood is actually used to make a life-saving medication, given to moms whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies. Every batch of Anti-D that has ever been made in Australia has come from James' blood. And more than 17% of women in Australia are at risk, so James has helped save a lot of lives."
So what spurred Harrison's penchant for philanthropy? He tells CNN that when he was 14-years-old, he had a chest operation for which a blood transfusion saved his life. "When I came out of the operation, or a couple days after, my father was explaining what had happened," he tells CNN. "He said I had (received) 13 units (liters) of blood and my life had been saved by unknown people. He was a donor himself, so I said when I'm old enough, I'll become a blood donor." A blood donor, it would seem, with a golden arm.
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Photo: Australian Red Cross Blood Service
