Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman who lived in the early 1900s. She was born in 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia, and grew up on a tobacco farm nearby Clover, Virginia. Lacks was the daughter of a farmer and a homemaker, and she had several siblings. She married at a young age and had five children. Little is known about her early life, but she later married her cousin, David Lacks, and the couple had five children together.
In 1951, at the age of 31, Lacks was diagnosed with cervical
cancer. She sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland,
where doctors took a sample of her tumor without her knowledge or consent. This
sample was later used to create the first immortal human cell line, known as
HeLa.
HeLa cells are unique because they can divide indefinitely,
making them incredibly valuable for scientific research. They have been used in
a wide range of studies, including those related to cancer, HIV, and the
effects of space travel on the human body.
Lacks died of her cancer in 1951, just a few months after
her diagnosis. Her family only learned about the existence of the HeLa cell
line and its widespread use in scientific research many years later.
The story of Henrietta Lacks and the creation of HeLa cells
raises important ethical questions about informed consent and the ownership of
biological materials. It also highlights the contributions of African Americans
to medical research, and the need for greater recognition of these
contributions. Her cells continued to be used for scientific research, helping
to make numerous medical breakthroughs. Her story was not widely known until
the publication of the book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by
Rebecca Skloot in 2010.
Henrietta Lacks was an influential figure in the twentieth
century, as her cells were used to make great advancements in the field of
science and medicine. She was born in 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia, and was the
fifth of her family's ten children. Growing up, Henrietta spent her time
helping her family work on the tobacco farm in Virginia, tending to the crops
and animals, and performing chores around the house.
At age fifteen, Henrietta began working on the tobacco farm
and quickly took to the farming lifestyle. Henrietta enjoyed working in the
fields, planting, hoeing, and harvesting crops. She also took on the
responsibilities of tending to the animals, including sheep, chickens, cows,
and mules. As a result of this labor, Henrietta was able to learn various
agricultural techniques and develop strong work ethic.
Henrietta also became accustomed to the hardships of the
farming lifestyle. Due to the poor soil conditions and harsh weather, the Lacks
family often experienced financial hardship, and Henrietta was forced to help
make ends meet. She began working as a seamstress and doing odd jobs around the
town in order to supplement her family's income. In addition to the monetary
concerns, Henrietta also endured the physical demands of farming life. She was
known for her strength and resilience, and was often called upon to do the most
labor-intensive jobs, such as cutting and gathering hay, and even lifting heavy
logs.
While living on the farm, Henrietta also developed a passion
for music. She was known to sing hymns and spirituals in her family's church,
and her love of music often brought her joy and comfort during her time on the
farm. In addition, Henrietta was known to be quite outgoing and social, often
entertaining visitors and other family members who visited the farm.
By the age of twenty-one, Henrietta had married David Lacks
and had moved with him to Turner Station, Maryland. Despite her life on the
farm, Henrietta maintained her hard-working nature, and helped support her
family by taking on additional jobs. During this time, Henrietta also became a
mother, and had five children.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1951 when Henrietta was
diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer. She immediately began
radiation treatments at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where her cells were taken for
medical research without her knowledge.
The effects of Henrietta’s treatments did not last, and her
cancer eventually returned. Henrietta passed away in 1951 at the age of
thirty-one. While she is gone, her legacy lives on through her “immortal”
cells, which have been used to make great advancements in the field of science
and medicine.
In summary, Henrietta Lacks’ life on the tobacco farm greatly influenced her hard-working nature and resilience. Despite the financial hardship and physical demands of the farming lifestyle, Henrietta developed a passion for music and enjoyed entertaining visitors and family members who visited the farm. Tragically, her life was cut short when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. However, her legacy lives on through her “immortal” cells, which have been used to make great advancements in the field of science and medicine.