James Harrison, ‘Man with the Golden Arm’ who saved millions of babies, dies at 88

James Harrison's rare blood, which he donated over a thousand times, is estimated to have saved the lives of over 2 million children in Australia.

James Harrison, the Australian blood donor whose rare plasma helped save the lives of over two million babies, has died at the age of 88.

Harrison, known as the “Man with the Golden Arm,” carried a unique antibody called Anti-D in his plasma, which was used to develop a life-saving treatment for rhesus disease. Over his lifetime, he donated blood more than 1,100 times, according to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which confirmed his passing.

He died peacefully in his sleep on February 17 at a nursing home north of Sydney.

A Lifetime of Giving

Harrison’s lifelong commitment to blood donation began after undergoing lung surgery at age 14, during which he required multiple transfusions. At 18, he began donating plasma every two weeks and continued until the age of 81—the upper limit for blood donors in Australia.

“James was a remarkable, stoically kind, and generous person who captured the hearts of many around the world,” said Lifeblood CEO Stephen Cornelissen. “He extended his arm to help others 1,173 times and expected nothing in return.”

His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, also paid tribute, calling him “a humanitarian at heart.”

“As an Anti-D recipient myself, he has left behind a family that may not have existed without his precious donations,” she said.

A Groundbreaking Medical Discovery

Harrison’s unique antibodies were a medical breakthrough. The Anti-D treatment derived from his plasma prevents rhesus disease, a condition in which a pregnant mother’s immune system attacks her unborn baby’s blood cells, potentially leading to brain damage or death.

Before the discovery of Anti-D, thousands of Australian babies died each year from the condition, while many others suffered severe complications.

“In Australia, up until about 1967, doctors didn’t know why women were having repeated miscarriages, or why babies were being born with brain damage,” explained Jemma Falkenmire of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. “Harrison’s blood changed everything.”

A National Hero

For his extraordinary contributions, Harrison received the Medal of the Order of Australia, one of the nation’s highest honors.

Though he never saw himself as a hero, his selfless generosity left an indelible mark on medicine and the millions of families he helped create.