Man with rare blood type gives blood for 56 years, saves 2 million babies

James Harrison has given blood every two weeks for 56 years and has saved the lives of more than 2 million babies. His blood is an extremely rare type and contains an antibody that keeps babies from dying of Rhesus disease, which is a sever form of anaemia.

From Daily Mail:

At the time, thousands of babies in Australia were dying each year of Rhesus disease. Other newborns suffered permanent brain damage because of the condition.

The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother’s blood and her unborn baby’s blood. It stems from one having Rh-positive blood and the other Rh-negative.

After his blood type was discovered, Mr Harrison volunteered to undergo a series of tests to help develop the Anti-D vaccine.

‘They insured me for a million dollars so I knew my wife Barbara would be taken care of,’ he said.
‘I wasn’t scared. I was glad to help. I had to sign every form going and basically sign my life away.’