A Promise Made at Fourteen
In 1951, 14-year-old James Christopher Harrison of Junee, New South Wales, underwent major chest surgery. He survived thanks to a large volume of donated blood.
Grateful and determined, he made a private vow: when he turned 18, he would begin donating blood himself. Despite a lifelong fear of needles, Harrison kept that promise—and went on to become one of the most prolific blood plasma donors in recorded history.
Discovery of a Rare Blood Profile
Harrison began donating in 1954. After just a few donations, doctors identified something unusual in his blood: a high concentration of antibodies against the Rh D antigen. This discovery proved critical. These antibodies could be used to produce Anti-D immunoglobulin, a treatment given to Rh-negative mothers to prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN).
If untreated, HDN could result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or serious illness in newborns. Harrison became a key contributor to the New South Wales Rh Program, launched in 1969—one of the first such programs in the world.
One Thousand Donations and Counting
Unlike whole blood, plasma can be donated every two weeks. Over the years, Harrison followed this schedule with remarkable consistency. In May 2011, he reached his 1,000th donation. By the time of his final donation on 11 May 2018—aged 81—he had donated 1,173 times.
His plasma was used in the production of every batch of Anti-D issued in New South Wales during his donation years. According to blood service officials, his contributions helped prevent thousands of deaths and countless cases of illness or disability.
From Local Donor to National Recognition
Harrison was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1999. In 2011, he was nominated as a Local Hero in the Australian of the Year awards.
He also spoke publicly in 2007 against commercializing Australia’s plasma donation program, expressing concern that this could deter volunteers. His influence extended into his own family: both his daughter Tracey and granddaughter-in-law Rebecca received Anti-D injections derived from his donations during their pregnancies.
Final Years and Lasting Contributions
Harrison spent his later years in Umina Beach, New South Wales. He was married to Barbara Lindbeck until her death in 2005.
They had one daughter, two grandsons, and several great-grandchildren. On 17 February 2025, Harrison died in his sleep at the age of 88. Research continues into replicating his unique antibodies in a lab, an effort informally referred to as “James in a Jar.” Harrison’s blood helped protect the health of generations—both known and unknown to him.
After major surgery at 14, James Harrison survived thanks to donated blood.
He vowed to give back—and kept that promise 1,173 times over 60 years. What doctors later found in his blood helped protect millions of babies and made him one of the most remarkable donors in history. pic.twitter.com/shM4PuA9lZ
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) June 11, 2025