James Harrison, known as 'the man with the golden arm' for his unique blood composition that helped save an estimated 2.4 million babies, died on February 17, 2025, at age 88 in Australia.

Harrison's blood contained rare antibodies used to create anti-D injections, which prevent rhesus D haemolytic disease (HDFN) - a condition that once killed or disabled thousands of newborns annually when Rh-negative mothers carry Rh-positive babies [1].

Over his lifetime, Harrison made 1,173 blood donations that were used to produce every batch of anti-D treatment in Australia until his retirement in 2018 [1][2]. His extraordinary blood properties likely resulted from receiving multiple transfusions at age 14 during lung surgery.

Scientists at the Walter Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) are now working to replicate Harrison's gift in the laboratory. Professor Ian Wicks and his team have isolated hundreds of anti-D antibodies from Harrison's blood samples and are preparing for clinical trials of a synthetic version [1].

'We're optimistic that we now have antibodies that compare favorably to the donor-derived anti-D,' said Professor Wicks, describing the project informally known as 'James in a jar' [3].

Currently, Australia relies on fewer than 200 anti-D donors to prevent HDFN, which now affects only about four babies per year in the country compared to 40,000 annually before treatment was available [2].

Harrison's legacy lives on through his family - his daughter Tracey Mellowship required anti-D during her pregnancies, as did his granddaughter-in-law Rebecca [1]. The donor center café where he regularly gave blood is now named in his honor.