For six decades, 'the man with the golden arm' donated blood -- and saved 2.4 million babies

[FSogol]

In 1951, a 14-year-old Australian boy named James Harrison awoke from a major chest operation. Doctors had removed one of his lungs in a procedure that had taken several hours — and would keep him hospitalized for three months.

But Harrison was alive, thanks in large part to a vast quantity of transfused blood he had received, his father explained.
“He said that I had 13 units of blood and my life had been saved by unknown people,”

At the time, Australia’s laws required blood donors to be at least 18 years old. It would be four years before Harrison was eligible, but he vowed then that he too would become a blood donor when he was old enough.

After turning 18, Harrison made good on his word, donating whole blood regularly with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. He disliked needles, so he averted his eyes and tried to ignore the pain whenever one was inserted into his arm.
Meanwhile, doctors in Australia were struggling to figure out why thousands of births in the country were resulting in miscarriages, stillbirths or brain defects for the babies.

Harrison's blood plasma contains a rare antibody that was used to save babies. He made 1,173 donations.

Whole story here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/05/12/for-six-decades-the-man-with-the-golden-arm-donated-blood-and-saved-2-4-million-babies/?utm_term=.ffc999789ab4&wpisrc=nl_optimist&wpmm=1

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

1. It probably won't be repeated here.

I can donate blood every eight weeks. To make 1,173 donations at that rate would take me 167 years.

Trump might do it, since he'll live to be 200. I have no such expectation.

Wait, no, the chances of me living to 200 are actually better than the chances of Trump donating blood.

[Hekate]

2. What a fantastic story. I used to donate frequently, but nothing like that!