📰 🔥 The Record-Breaking Blood Donor Who Saved Millions of Lives
✨ Remembering a Real-Life Hero: James Harrison
🎖️ A Man with a Golden Arm
The world has lost one of its most philanthropic blood donors James Harrison, who saved more than two million babies with his blood. Harrison, often known in Australia as the man with the golden arm, left us peacefully in his sleep at the age of 88.
👶 Savior of Babies
What made James' blood so special was the rare anti-D antibody it contained. This astounding substance is utilized to concoct a medication given to pregnant women whose blood might pose a threat to their unborn offspring.
💉Blood Donation Journey
Following his personal experience of receiving transfusions after a significant chest surgery at 14, James pledged to become a blood donor. He began donating his blood plasma at 18 and continued every two weeks until the ripe age of 81. In 2005, he shockingly held the world record for the most blood plasma donated, a title he held until gestation and continued until the ripe age of 81.Harrison was proud of the millions of lives he saved without any apparent effort or pain.
- His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, acknowledged his altruism by saying - "He always said it does not hurt, and the life you save could be your own."
- Mellowship and two of Harrison's grandchildren are also recipients of anti-D immunizations.
☠️ The Deadly Malady: HDFN
Anti-D jabs protect unborn babies from HDFN, a deadly blood disease. This condition arises during pregnancy when the mother's red blood cells are incompatible with the baby's. The mother's immune system, considering the baby's blood cells as a threat, produces antibodies to attack them. This might lead to severe anaemia, heart failure, or even death.
🥼Lifeblood's Research & Future Prospects
Whilst there are fewer than 200 anti-D donors in Australia, they still help approximately 45,000 mothers and their babies every year. Lifeblood is exploring the possibility of developing lab-made anti-D to aid pregnant women across the globe. Understanding the scarcity of committed donors, they aspire to produce antibodies in sufficient quality and quantity.
What made James' blood so special, and would you consider making a similar commitment to help save lives?