Australian whose blood saved 2.4 million babies dying

One of the most prolific blood donors in the world – the plasma of which has saved the life of more than 2 million babies – died.

On February 17, James Harrison died in a nursing home in Novy South Wales, Australia, his family reported on Monday. He was 88.

In Australia, known as a man with a golden hand, Harrison’s blood contained a rare antibody, anti-D used to prepare medicines given to pregnant mothers, whose blood risks to attack their unborn children.

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service, which paid tribute to Harrison, said he promised to become a donor after receiving the transfusion, undergoing a serious chest operation when he was 14.

He started sacrificing blood plasma when he was 18 and continued to do so every two weeks until he was 81.

In 2005, he had a world record for most sacrificed blood plasma – the title he held until 2022 when he was overtaken by a man in the US.

Harrison’s daughter, Treis Melosz, said her father was “very proud that he saved so many lives, without any cost and pain.”

“He always said it did not hurt, and the life you save can be your own,” she said.

Mellowship and two Harrison’s grandchildren also received anti-D-Backs.

“It made (James) happy to hear about many families as ours, who existed from his kindness,” she said.

Anti-D Jabs protect unborn children from a deadly blood disorder called fetal and newborn hemolytic or HDFN.

The condition occurs during pregnancy when the erythrocytes of the mother are incompatible with an increasing child.

Then the mother’s immune system views the baby’s blood cells as a threat and produces antibodies to attack them. This can seriously harm the child, causing serious anemia, heart failure or even death.

Before the anti-D interventions were developed in the mid-1960s, every two babies died.

It is unclear how much the blood of Harrison became so rich anti-D, but some reports said it was due to the mass blood transfusion he received at the age of 14.

In Australia, Australia is less than 200 anti-Donors, but they assesses 45,000 mothers and their children each year, according to the Australian Red Cross Blood, also known as Lifeblood.

LifeBLOOD collaborates with the Institute for Medical Studies in Australia Walter and Eliza Hall to grow antibodies to DD in the laboratory by replication of blood and immune cells from Harrison and other donors.

Researchers participated in the HOP laboratory, which was made by Anti-D one day to help pregnant women around the world.

“Creating a new therapy has long been a” Holy Grail “,” said David Irving, Director of Lifeblood Research.

He noted a deficit of donors seeking regular donations that can produce antibodies in sufficient quality and quantity.