“In Australia, up until about 1967, there were literally thousands of babies dying each year, doctors didn’t know why, and it was awful,” Jemma Falkenmire of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service told CNN. “Women were having numerous miscarriages and babies were being born with brain damage.”
Image Source: .onedio.com
Doctors didn’t know how to deal with Rhesus disease (where the pregnant woman’s blood starts attacking her own unborn baby’s cells.) in 1967. The disease occurs when the baby has rhesus-positive (RhD positive) and the pregnant woman has rhesus-negative (RhD negative).
Image Source: noonecares.club
In this case, the mother’s body may produce antibodies that could destroy the baby’s blood cells. James’s blood was exactly what the doctors need to deal with the disease. As it turns out, his blood contains a rare antibody to develop an injection called Anti-D.
Image Source: www.brilio.net
This injection is used to prevent mothers developing RhD antibodies during their pregnancy. But although thankful for James’s contribution, the doctors have no idea why he has such rare blood type.
Image Source: s-nbcnews.com
There are around 50 people in Australia with such a rare blood type. The blood transfusion James received at the age of 14 could be the reason why his blood contains the precious antibodies.
Image Source: riasv.ru