James Harrison, 'Man with the Golden Arm,' Dies at 88

James Harrison, known as the 'Man with the Golden Arm,' passed away peacefully at 88 years old on February 17 in a nursing home in New South Wales, Australia. His remarkable blood donations, which contained a rare antibody called anti-D, are credited with saving over 2.4 million babies from hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). Harrison began donating blood at the age of 18 after receiving life-saving transfusions at 14, and he continued to donate plasma every two weeks for more than 60 years, completing 1,173 donations by his retirement in 2018. His contributions earned him the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1999 and widespread admiration for his humanitarian spirit. Harrison’s daughter expressed that their family might not exist without his generous donations, highlighting the personal impact of his legacy. Throughout his life, he encouraged others to follow in his footsteps, hoping for a future where more people would donate blood.