The month of March is Women’s History Month, celebrating women and their contributions to society. It is an important acknowledgement, considering all that women have done in advancing the world. One example of a forgotten woman who had a large impact on the world is Henrietta Lacks.
Lacks was born on August 1, 1920 and grew up in rural Virginia. In the 1940s she moved to Baltimore County with her husband and kids. In January of 1951 Lacks was diagnosed with cancer, which she would succumb to later that year. During one of her treatments at John Hopkins, a sample of her cancer cells were taken and given to researcher George Otto Gey. Gey had been working to create a human cell line that could be used long-term for cell research, and Henrietta’s fast-multiplying cells provided that. These cells were labeled HeLa and allowed scientist to make many important breakthroughs in biomedical research, including the polio vaccine.
Although Lacks’ cells were famous in the medical industry, her story would fade into obscurity soon after her death. This was until a couple journalists wanted to tell the story of Henrietta. However, this reporting was not done well. Her name was reported incorrectly as “Helen Lane” and other incorrect versions. The story of Henrietta and her family was not correctly reported until Rebecca Skloot began researching into the origins of the HeLa cells, which she would publish in her book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Her book goes in depth about many topics surrounding HeLa cells, including the medical field, racism, sexism, and more.
The book has some shocking truths. “I've been very shocked by the attitude of scientists throughout the book. These people whose priority is supposed to be improving the lives of others and the world around us often seem to be selfish and rude, with large egos and an inability to admit wrongdoing. It was shocking to realize that adults in such an important field behaved like this, even if it was at the detriment of their work,” says Katherine Cannon, who is reading Skloot’s book for Mr. Emerling’s AP English Language and Composition class. It also includes many life lessons. “Listen to people who are different then you. Because thinking about like when Deborah speaks and how people don’t really listen her because she’s uneducated or she doesn’t speak “proper English” … We’re all human, we all can contribute to society and contribute to a conversation. We really should just be kind to each other in general,” says Jeffery Moody, another one of Mr. Emerling’s students.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is an informative and tragic story, one that is thought provoking and reveling. It tells the story of a very important woman, one who’s name is often forgotten. Henrietta’s cells have contributed to many medical advancements, and yet her name is not widely known. Out of respect for her and her family, as well as this Women’s History Month, her story should be shared.
Pictured: Henrietta Lacks
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