AN AUSTRALIAN MAN who saved more than two million babies by donating his blood plasma has died.

James Harrison “passed away peacefully in his sleep” at Peninsula Village Nursing Home in Sydney on 17 February, the Australian Red Cross blood service Lifeblood announced on Saturday.

Known as “the man with the golden arm,” he previously held the world record for the most blood donations by an individual.

Over the course of his life, James Harrison donated blood 1,173 times, which helped save the lives of roughly 2.4 million babies.

James’ remarkable impact was primarily due to the rare antibodies in his blood – he had a unique antibody in his plasma that is crucial in preventing  Rhesus D Haemolytic Disease (Rh disease).

The deadly condition causes the blood of pregnant women to attack a baby’s blood cells, which can cause brain damage, heart failure, and death. 

James Harrison was inspired to start donating blood after undergoing a major surgery at the age of 14.

James needed a serious chest operation, which required the use of a significant amount of blood. He later learned that he had received several pints of blood from anonymous donors during the surgery, and this experience deeply impacted him.

A few years later, when James turned 18, he decided to start donating blood fortnightly, never missing an appointment until his retirement in 2018, aged 81.

He started donating plasma at the Red Cross, and over time, it was discovered that his blood contained the rare Rh antibodies.

There are fewer than 200 anti-D donors in Australia, but they help an estimated 45,000 mothers and their babies every year, according to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, also known as Lifeblood.

James’ daughter, Tracey Mellowship, said he would be greatly missed by their family, mostly for his sense of humour.

“James was a humanitarian at heart, but also very funny,” Tracey said.

“As an Anti-D recipient myself, he has left behind a family that may not have existed without his precious donations.

“He was also very proud to have saved so many lives, without any cost or pain. It made him happy to hear about the many families like ours, who existed because of his kindness,” she added.

Lifeblood paid tribute to James, with Chief Executive Stephen Cornelissen describing the donor as “a remarkable, stoically kind, and generous person”. 

“He was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world,” Cornelissen said.

The Lifeblood CEO said that James continued to donate “even in his darkest days”, after the passing of his wife Barbara, who was also a blood donor, and helped inspire his career as a lifesaver.

“He leaves behind an incredible legacy,” Cornelissen added.