In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a young mother of five, sought medical attention at The Johns Hopkins Hospital due to vaginal bleeding. There, Dr. Howard Jones, a gynecologist, discovered a malignant tumor on her cervix. At the time, Johns Hopkins was among the few hospitals that provided medical care for impoverished African-Americans when few others would.
To combat her cervical cancer, Mrs. Lacks underwent radium treatments, the best therapy available at the time. Unknown to her, researchers took samples of her tumor during these treatments, without her consent or knowledge.
One researcher at Hopkins had long struggled to study cancer cells, as they typically perished outside the body. However, the cells obtained from Henrietta Lacks proved to be resilient. Rather than perishing, they continued to divide and multiply, giving rise to the HeLa cell line, named after the first two letters of her first and last names.
Today, HeLa cells are indistinguishable tools in medical research. They enable studies on the effects of various substances such as toxins, drugs, hormones, and viruses on cancer cell growth, sparing the need for human experimentation. These cells have significantly contributed to understanding the effects of radiation and poison, as well as advancing knowledge about viral mechanisms. Notably, HeLa cells played pivotal roles in developing vaccines for polio and COVID-19.
Contributing to nearly 75,000 studies, Henrietta Lacks’ cells have paved the way for advancements ranging from HPV to medications for HIV/AIDS and breakthroughs in in vitro fertilization.
Despite Henrietta Lacks’ passing on October 4, 1951, at the young age of 31, her legacy endures through her immortal cells. For over two decades, these cells were commercialized and distributed worldwide, unknown to her family.
HELLA INSPIRED.
