James Harrison
OAM
The Man with the Golden Arm
The Man with the Golden Arm and how he saved so many:
At the age of just 14 James he had major surgey, requiring 13 litres of blood and spending 3 months in hospital. Knowing blood saved his life he pledged to start donating blood when he turned 18.
in 1954 Harrison began donating blood. Soon after it was discovered that his blood contained unuusally strong and persistent antibodies which is used to treat pregnant women with a blood disease.
Though donations of his blood plasma it is estimated that he has helped save over 2.4 million unborn babies, with pregant women, including his own daughter being treated with his antibodies. His donations were used in research to create a global medication helping treat pregant women all around the world.
On June 7th 1999 James was awared with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). Then in 2003 he was reconized with the Guinness World Record for the most blood donated by a single person.
As blood plasma can be donated as often as every 2 weeks, james was able to donate over 1000 times over a 60 year period. On 11 May 2018 he made his 1173rd donation. This was his last, as Australian law prohibits blood donations after the age of 81.
"I could say it's the only record that I hope is broken, because if they do, they have donated a thousand donations."
-- James Harrison