James Harrison, one of the world’s most prolific blood donors, has passed away at the age of 88 in New South Wales, Australia. His blood contained the rare Anti-D antibody, which has saved the lives of more than two million babies.
Harrison, who received a blood transfusion for a major chest surgery when he was 14, pledged to become a blood donor and began giving plasma at 18. He continued donating every two weeks until he was 81, holding the world record for most blood plasma donations until 2022. His donations were crucial in developing a treatment for Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN), a condition that once led to the death of half of the affected babies.