Henrietta Lacks, an African-American individual, encountered an intense strain of cervical cancer. As part of her care, cells from her tumor were sampled, revealing the world’s first-ever immortal cell line.
Such a cell line can indefinitely reproduce under defined conditions, facilitating studies on the impact of toxins, drugs, hormones, and viruses on cancer cell growth, eliminating the need for human experiments.
Her cell line remains an irreplaceable medical resource even today. In 1951, Henrietta sought medical assistance at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, due to significant vaginal bleeding. A subsequent discovery of a tumor led to her cancer diagnosis.
Dr. George Otto Gey, a distinguished researcher in cancer and viruses, procured these unique cells from Henrietta, naming the line “HeLa” after the initials of her name.
As was the norm then, Henrietta’s cells were cultured without seeking her permission, and neither she nor her kin received any compensation for the cells or their application. Sadly, despite medical intervention, Henrietta succumbed to her illness on October 4, 1951, at a mere 31 years of age.
Her family remembers her as a beloved daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother with passions ranging from dancing, cooking, and horse riding to fashion.
She had a radiant persona that matched her preferred hue – red! On her demise day, Johns Hopkins publicized possessing the groundbreaking HeLa cells, with her grieving kin kept in the dark. Dr. Gey distributed HeLa cells to global researchers.
While he refrained from personal gain, many scientists profited. It’s a poignant irony that while Henrietta’s cells were proliferated in laboratories, reaping medical advancements and financial gains, her family struggled financially and lacked basic healthcare access.
Moreover, Dr. Gey didn’t attribute any credit to Henrietta. It wasn’t until 1973, when scientists working on HeLa cells approached her offspring for blood samples, that the family learned of the cell line’s existence.
As awareness about Henrietta’s contribution to science and commercial endeavors grows, it’s casting a spotlight on health discrepancies faced by African Americans, heightening concerns around patient confidentiality and rights.
Today, Henrietta Lacks is celebrated as the Pioneer of Contemporary Medicine. Her cellular legacy still influences global health.
Through her posthumous contributions, numerous lives have been safeguarded, with her cells instrumental in innovations like the HPV and polio vaccines, HIV and cancer treatments, and, most recently, research related to COVID-19.
