Man With Rare Blood Antibody Saves Over 2 Million Babies

The breakthrough in public health in Australia came in 1967, when James Harrison and a small group of negative blood donors joined the Anti-D project. Mr Harrison recalls he was insured for $1 million in case something went amiss with the treatment that was designed to save the lives of babies.
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Mr Harrison, who lives on the Central Coast, suspects he developed the antibodies after receiving positive blood during surgery in the early 1950s. His late wife, Barbara, was also an Anti-D donor.

Mr Harrison once held the Guinness World Record for most blood donated, and as of yesterday, had made 961 blood donations in his 52 years of giving. He donates every seven days; the plasma containing the antibodies is removed, and the rest of his blood is returned to his body.

About once a year he is injected with a tiny amount of rhesus positive red cells to keep his antibody level high. "There's a bit of me in every donation that goes out to mothers that need it, and it does make me feel good," he said.

Dr Keller said the donor pool was small, just 200 to 300 people.

"We are producing Anti-D sufficient for Australia's population at the moment but it requires constant vigilance and new recruitment."

http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/parenting/baby/a-valuable-gift-that-some-babies-cant-live-without-20090525-bk5n.html