The Saga of James Harrison
Category
Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors
Era / Tenure
Active Era
Leaderboard Rank
#53 in Local Heroes & Everyday Saviors
Verified Hearts
33,700 Hearts
ORIGINS & FORMATIVE YEARS
Roots, Upbringing & Early Influences
Born in New South Wales, Australia in 1936, James Christopher Harrison underwent major chest surgery at age fourteen that required thirteen liters of donated blood to save his life, inspiring him to pledge that he would become a regular blood donor as soon as he turned eighteen.
THE STRUGGLE & HARDSHIPS
Facing Adversity, Rejections & The Grind
In mid-twentieth-century Australia, thousands of newborn babies died each year or suffered severe brain damage from Rhesus disease (hemolytic disease of the newborn), a fatal condition where a pregnant mother's blood develops antibodies that attack her unborn baby's red blood cells.
Key Milestone & Career Defining Moment
Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, Harrison is celebrated worldwide as 'The Man with the Golden Arm'.
