Man With The Golden Arm Whose Blood Saved Millions Of Babies' Life

6He was more than happy to donate his blood and help with finding a cure

“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.”

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7Dealing with the Rhesus disease

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).

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8The antibody was discovered in James’s blood

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.

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9He was one in a million indeed

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.

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10An accident or destiny?

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.

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