August 1 …

Henrietta Lacks remains one of the most consequential, yet historically unrecognized figures in American medical history, whose cells — taken without her knowledge — transformed modern healthcare, biomedical research, and bioethics.

Born Loretta Pleasant on August 1, 1920 in Roanoke, VA, and later renamed Henrietta, she grew up in a poor tobacco-farming family in Clover, VA, following her mother’s death. Like many African American families in the Jim Crow South, the Pleasant family endured systemic poverty and racial segregation. Henrietta eventually married David Lacks, and they relocated to Turner Station near Baltimore, MD, where they raised five children.

In 1951, Lacks sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital — one of the few hospitals in the region that admitted Black patients — due to severe abdominal pain and was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer. During her treatment, doctors collected cancer cells from her tumor without her knowledge or consent — a common, but ethically questionable practice of that era.

What made Lacks remarkable was not by her own choice, but through her unique biology. Unlike typical laboratory cells that die after a few divisions, her cells continued to divide indefinitely under the right conditions, becoming the first immortal human cell line.

Named “HeLa” from the first two letters of her first and last names to preserve her anonymity, these cells were quickly recognized for their immense value. HeLa cells could be transported, frozen, cloned, and mass-produced, allowing researchers to conduct experiments on human cells in unprecedented ways.

Lacks died on October 4, 1951, unaware that her cells would outlive her and significantly contribute to modern medicine.

The influence of HeLa cells on American healthcare and global science has been extensive. They played a crucial role in the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950s, being tested by Jonas Salk on a grand scale.

Over the years, HeLa cells have been vital in research on cancer, HIV/AIDS, leukemia, Parkinson’s disease, influenza, and more recently, COVID-19. They have facilitated advances in in vitro fertilization, gene mapping, cloning, and the development of numerous drugs and vaccines. HeLa cells even went to space to investigate the effects of zero gravity on human tissue.

To date, tens of thousands of scientific studies have utilized HeLa cells, creating entire biotechnology industries around the cell culture techniques they pioneered. Through these contributions, Lacks has had an immeasurable impact on life expectancy, disease prevention, and the advancement of precision medicine. However, her story also highlights ongoing ethical issues regarding medical consent, race, and patients’ rights.

For decades, her family was unaware that her cells were being used globally and did not receive compensation, even as companies profited from HeLa-related research. The revelation of her identity in the 1970s sparked national scrutiny and led to broader reforms in informed consent and research ethics.

In 2013, after researchers published the HeLa genome without family permission, the National Institutes of Health reached an agreement with the Lacks family to provide them some control over access to that genomic data. Modern discussions about genetic privacy, biobanking, and equitable benefit-sharing frequently reference her case.

In 2021, the World Health Organization posthumously honored Lacks for her significant contributions to global health, while Johns Hopkins Medicine has formally recognized her legacy. Statues and memorials, including a prominent one in Bristol, England, have been established in her honor.

Today, Lacks is celebrated not only as a scientific contributor, but also as a symbol of resilience and justice in medical history. Her life and legacy have inspired books, academic studies, documentaries, and a major HBO film adaptation, which expanded public awareness of her story.

Educational institutions increasingly include her narrative in bioethics courses, highlighting both the scientific breakthroughs enabled by HeLa cells and the injustices surrounding their acquisition.

Although Henrietta Lacks never sought acknowledgment, her biological gift has transformed American medicine and research, extending and saving millions of lives. Her story continues to urge the healthcare system to strike a balance between scientific progress and respect for human dignity, ensuring her legacy endures not only for its scientific achievements but also for the ethical advancements it inspires.