Famous Americans
Famous African Americans ... Famous Virginians
1920-1951
Henrietta Lacks was born to poor parents in Roanoke, VA. When she was four, her mother died, and she went to live with her grandfather who was a tobacco farmer in Clover, VA.
Henrietta only got four years in school before she was needed in the tobacco fields.
When she was 14, she had her first child, a daughter. When she was 20, she married the father of her children, her cousin, David Lacks.
Henrietta was a pretty and friendly woman. She was a good mother, and a good cook. She enjoyed cooking for family and friends. Henrietta also enjoyed music and dancing.
Henrietta and David moved to Baltimore so that David could get a good job.
After Henrietta and David had four children, Henrietta noticed a hard lump in her body. She had another child before she felt it serious enough to mention to a doctor.
Henrietta went to the only hospital that would treat African Americans. The doctors at Johns Hopkins told her she had cancer and began treatment.
The doctors also took a sample of her cancer tumor to see if they could grow the cells. The hospital did this with many patients. To the surprise of the doctors, the cancer cells from Henrietta Lacks were the first human cells that would grow outside of the human body.
The doctors could not cure Henrietta. In a few months, she died at the hospital. On the day she died, the doctors announced that they had finally been able to grow cells outside the human body. They did not tell anyone they were Henrietta's cells that grew in the lab. They did not tell Henrietta or her family .
After Henrietta's death, her children lived in severe poverty. When the oldest son married, he and his wife took the younger children to live with them. The children were now well-treated, but the family was still very poor.
In the meantime, those cells from Henrietta's tumor were found to be very useful for medical research. They were used to test the Salk vaccine to prevent polio. They were used to in tests to learn more about cancer and other diseases.The HeLa cells were used to test cures and treatments. Those who were marketing Henrietta's cells were making lots of money.
But, Henrietta's family did not know that a part of their mother was still alive, and they were not included in those who made money from the "HeLa" cells. When the hospital wanted to test cells from Henrietta's husband and their children, the family learned that their mother's cells were still living.
The whole story of Henrietta and the successful HeLa cells is told in a book written in 2010 by Rebecca Skloot, who also helped the family understand the great gift their mother had given to the world.
The Book: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This tombstone was placed on Henrietta's grave after her family learned what had come of the cells of her fatal cancer. The tombstone was paid for by donaqtion from the medical community.
Cartoon by Ryan North
Netlinks for Henrietta Lacks
Wikipedia: Henrietta Lacks
How Henrietta Lacks changed Medical History
Henrietta lacks - or does she?
Black Woman's Undying Gift to Science
Immortal Tobacco Farmer Helped Kill Polio, Flew With Astronauts
Hela? What do you think when you see that four letter word?
Henrietta Lacks Foundation (for her descendents)
Book review by Ed Yong on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
HeLa Photo Slideshow Photos of the people and the cells
The Adventures of Fred and Ethel (Henrietta's cousin Emma learns about HeLa)
HeLa Cells Story T-Rex Comic by Ryan North
The Book: The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot