“No dead woman has done more for the living.” Hilary Mantel. On August 1, 1920 an unknowingly important person was born. Her name was Henrietta Lacks, or as most know her as HeLa; the line of cells created with the tumor cells from her body. Over sixty years ago, very important cells were extracted from a patient without their knowledge at the John Hopkins Hospital for black patients. A man named Gey stole some samples of the woman’s tumor in order to use them and attempt to grow them in a lab. Taking cells from unexplainable diagnostics without the patient’s consent for research purposes is beneficial for the medical use by future generations, but is immoral.
In the story told by Rebecca Skloot, she unravels the deeper aspect of Henrietta’s
In the story told by Rebecca Skloot, she unravels the deeper aspect of Henrietta’s