She was a woman of few names that hold a long and grand story. This woman was referred to as HeLa, Helen Lane, all but her real name, Henrietta Lacks.
While her story was often unclear, patchy, and confusing, in recent years her story was released by Author Rebecca Skloot in 2010 in her book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.”
This novel is part of the Sophomore curriculum here at Stroudsburg.
Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. Later, a biopsy confirmed she had Stage 1 cancer in late January or February. However, months later, she passed at 31 years old in October that same year due to the disease.
“I believe Henrietta Lacks’ story is an important American tale. The novel explores critical issues like bioethics, race, and poverty,” says Ms. Barnes, English teacher. “All of this helps to foster deep reflection and compassion for other people’s unique American experiences. My hope for students reading this novel is that not only do they learn more about the woman behind HeLa cells and her family, but their empathy for the plight of other people deepens.“
On her journey through cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, a sample of her cervical tumor was taken without her knowledge or permission during a biopsy. Researcher Dr. George Gey then received her cells, which resulted in the infamous “HeLa” cell line, which would forever change the science and medical field.
Dr. Gey was on the hunt to acquire cells that would survive indefinitely outside the human body to study cancer. While many of the cells before HeLa cells would often die, Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells were different and kept dividing. They were the first immortal human cell line, and have been used in over 80,000 studies.
While Dr. Gey was using Lacks’ cells for research, her family didn’t find out about the existence of the cell line until the 1970s.
The HeLa cells were used for major scientific advancements through the years. Jonas Salk used the cells to develop the polio vaccine in the 50s, and these cells were even used in critical tests for COVID-19 vaccines. These same cells helped identify the correct number of human chromosomes, and even cell aging and death.
They have also been used to test the effects of medication and radiation on human cells. To add onto that, HeLa cells allowed for the breakthroughs of the standardization of techniques such as gene mapping and cloning.
The HeLa cells have been around for over 70 years, outliving Henrietta Lacks. Used in more than 65,000 studies, and with no definite number of vaccines they were used in for studies, her cells saved over 10 million lives worldwide.
“This book’s message seems really powerful, and I think that people should show more respect to African American women in society,” says Karly Evans, ‘28. “
“People should definitely show more respect to women in general. I think this should be the message nowadays.”
— Karly Evans '28
.sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 { display: flex; float: left; margin: 30px 30px 30px 0; width: 50%; border-color: #930000; border-top-width: 5px; border-right-width: 5px; border-bottom-width: 5px; border-left-width: 5px; } .sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 p.pullquotetext, .sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 p.quotespeaker { } .sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 .pullquotepic { width: 33%; margin-left: 25px; } .sno-story-body .sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 p.pullquotetext { font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.4em; } .sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 .quotebar { background: #dddddd; flex: 0 0 90px; margin-top: -15px; margin-left: -15px; padding-left: 15px; padding-top: 15px; margin-right: 15px; } .sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 .largequote { color: #888888; } .sno-pullquote-698ba3dd97735 .quotebody { width: unset; }Henrietta Lacks is now recognized for the impact of her HeLa cells on modern medicine. She is honored for her legacy through books and awards from the World Health Organization. More recently, financial settlements were given to her family for the commercialization of her cells.
I urge you, dear reader, to read Rebecca Skoots biography of Henrietta Lacks to learn more about this beautiful legacy. Her cells will be helpful for years to come, like her headstone reads, “Here lies Henrietta lacks (HeLa). Her immortal cells will continue to help mankind forever.”