輕松英語閱讀：獻血者

How often do you donate blood? Once a year? Once every few years? Never? Would you be willing to do it every few weeks? That is what James Harrison of Australia has been doing for almost 60 years. In that time he has donated blood over 1,000 times.

James Harrison has very special blood—so special he has been called the man with the golden arm. When James was a teenager it was discovered that his blood contained a rare antibody. After it was detected James volunteered to help scientists create the Anti-D vaccine, which required the antibody in his blood.

At the time, thousands of babies were dying or suffering severe brain damage from Rhesus disease every year in Australia. Rhesus disease or Rh disease, as it is also known, occurs when the mother’s blood is incompatible with the unborn child’s; one has Rh-positive blood and the other has Rh-negative. With the Anti-D vaccine developed from James’ blood Rh-disease became treatable. Babies stopped dying from Rh-disease.

It is estimated that James has saved over 2 million babies with his donations. He truly is the man with the golden arm and a golden heart.