Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) Henrietta Lacks (August 18, 1920 - October 4 1951) died of cervical cancer in 1951, at the age of 31. Cells taken from her tumor were cultured by Dr. George Gey to create a cell line for medical research, known as the HeLa cell line.
Birth
Henrietta was born in 1920 in Lackstown, Halifax County, Virginia.
Maryland and marriage
In 1943 she moved to Turner's Station, Maryland not far from Baltimore. She married David Lacks I, and had the following children: Deborah Lacks, David Lacks II; Lawrence Lacks who married Barbara; and Zakariyya Lacks. She lived at New Pittsburgh Avenue in Turner's Station area of the Baltimore suburb of Dundalk.
Cervical cancer
She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in Baltimore and was hospitalized at Johns Hopkins University.
Death and burial
She died of October 4, 1951 and was buried without a tombstone in the cemetery near her parent's farm in Clover, Halifax County, Virginia.
HeLa cell line
The cancer cells from her tumor are an immortal mammalian cell line. It has been used in a large number of medical experiments, and has contributed greatly to human understanding of disease processes.
Lack of informed consent
There is controversy relating to the use of Henrietta Lacks' cells for research without her permission. Her real name was finally released, giving her recognition as a contributor to medical research.
Devolution
Her case is an excellent example of devolution. A complex multicellular organism has devolved into a simple, self replicating, single cell organism. Her case may represent the first documented creation of a new species.
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