James Harrison, the renowned Australian blood donor credited with saving over two million babies, has passed away at the age of 88. Harrison, famously known as the “Man with the Golden Arm,” carried a rare and vital antibody called Anti-D in his plasma. Over his lifetime, he donated blood more than 1,100 times, according to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which confirmed his passing in a statement released Saturday, per CNN.
He died peacefully in his sleep at a nursing home north of Sydney on February 17.
His extraordinary commitment to blood donation was inspired by his own experience—at 14, he required multiple blood transfusions following lung surgery. Determined to give back, he began donating plasma at 18 and continued every two weeks until he reached 81, the maximum donation age in Australia.
Lifeblood CEO Stephen Cornelissen praised Harrison’s lifelong dedication, calling his contributions invaluable to countless families.
The agency noted that he “never missed a single appointment” and “asked for nothing in return.” In accordance with Australian law, blood donors do not receive financial compensation.
“James was a remarkable, stoically kind, and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world,” Lifeblood CEO Stephen Cornelissen said in a statement per NPR.
Lifeblood reports that 17% of pregnant women in Australia require anti-D injections, with the majority of the nation’s supply coming from a small group of fewer than 200 regular plasma donors.
Harrison was the country’s first and most dedicated anti-D donor, according to Lifeblood. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1999, one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. However, he remained humble about his achievements, often using interviews to encourage others to donate.
“Some people say, ‘Oh, you’re a hero,’ ” Harrison said to NPR in 2015. “But I’m in a safe room, donating blood. They give me a cup of coffee and something to nibble on. And then I just go on my way. … No problem, no hardship.”
