They treat him like what he is, a hero. And in the last 6 months ago he made more than 1,100 donations
His last time was on Friday May 11, the last time he went to the hospital to do it.
James Harrison, 81, is known by the Red Reduction Service of the Australian Red Cross as “the man with the golden arm,” and that is through his veins runs to a “special” type of network that has been served to help more than 2 million 400 thousand babies across the country.
But what does his blood contain that is so important to the Australian Public Health Service?
Apparently, it contains an antibody that has been used to perform a type of medication called “immunoglobin anti-D” or also known as “Immunoglobin Rh”.
It is used to administer it to mothers who are at risk of Rh incompatibility with their future babies.
This could mean that the mother’s immune system could attack and destroy the blood cells of her future child during pregnancy and that the baby was born with problems.
Thanks to this medication made from donors like Harrison millions of children have been born without any complications.
What is this incompatibility?
We are all born with an Rh factor, an inherited protein that is found on the surface of red blood cells, that is if you have it.
Why? There are people who are born with it and are considered to have a “Rh positive” factor, but who will not have a “Rh negative” factor.
The problem with pregnant women is when they have the “Rh negative” and their future children “Rh positive”.
The red blood cells of the baby that enter the bloodstream of the mother will be considered as strangers to the blood cells of the mother and will create antibodies to kill them, causing the future child to contract to disease at birth.
So long as mothers have a “Rh negative” factor they will be medicated before delivery to make amends.
