James Harrison, an Australian blood donor whose rare plasma helped save over 2.4 million babies, has passed away at 88.

For more than six decades, Harrison donated blood over 1,100 times, earning him the nickname “The Man with the Golden Arm.” His rare antibody was used to protect unborn babies from rhesus disease, a condition that can be fatal during pregnancy.

A Life-Saving Promise

Harrison’s journey began at 14, when he underwent major lung surgery and needed multiple blood transfusions. Grateful for the donations that saved his life, he made a promise: he would become a blood donor as soon as he could.

Inspired by his father, Harrison kept that promise, donating every two weeks for over 60 years, only stopping at 81, when he reached Australia’s legal limit for plasma donations.

The Rare Blood That Saved Millions

Harrison’s blood contained Anti-D, a rare antibody that prevents rhesus disease in newborns. The condition occurs when a mother’s immune system attacks her baby’s red blood cells, causing serious complications.

Since the 1960s, Anti-D injections—created from donors like Harrison—have saved millions of babies. Despite many donors contributing, no one gave more than Harrison.

A Family That Owes Him Everything

Harrison passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 17. His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, shared that she, too, had received an Anti-D injection during pregnancy—meaning her own children might not be here today without her father’s generosity.

“He was proud to have saved so many lives,” she said. “It made him happy to hear about families like ours, who exist because of his kindness.”

Harrison’s selflessness changed the world. His legacy lives on in the millions of children alive today—because of the man with the golden arm.

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