James Christopher Harrison (born 27 December 1936) also known as the Man with the Golden Arm, is a blood plasma donor from Australia whose unusual plasma composition has been used to make a treatment for Rhesus disease. He has made over 1,000 donations throughout his lifetime, and these donations are estimated to have saved over 2.4 million babies from the condition. On 11 May 2018 he made his 1173rd donation – his last, as Australian policy prohibits blood donations from those past age 81.-----------------------
Rh disease (also known as rhesus isoimmunization, Rh (D) disease) is a type of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). HDFN due to anti-D antibodies is the proper and currently used name for this disease as the Rh blood group system actually has more than 50 antigens and not only D-antigen. The term "Rh Disease" is not the current terminology but it is commonly used to refer to HDFN due to anti-D antibodies, and prior to the discovery of anti-Rho(D) immune globulin, it was the most common type of HDFN. The disease ranges from mild to severe, and occurs in the second or subsequent pregnancies of Rh-D negative women when the biologic father is Rh-D positive.
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