DISCLAIMER: The following is a collection of information for Health Communication 4250. I am not an expert in the field, just a student trying to give some insight into the life of Henrietta Lacks. This is NOT to be taken as medical or legal advice.
Overview
When the name Henrietta Lacks is mentioned, the majority of people have no idea who she is. Yet, if you mention the term “HeLa” to anyone with a scientific background, they are likely to know exactly what you are talking about. The term HeLa is short for Henrietta Lacks who was a real person. She was a black woman from Virginia born in 1920. She was married and had a family when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Henrietta fought cancer for a while, but ultimately passed away in 1951. Yet, she was not like any other cancer patient. A sample of her cells was taken for examination and the cells continued to replicate even after she had died. These “immortal” cells were given the name HeLa and eventually grew into a multibillion dollar industry. Henrietta Lacks is the name of the real person behind the HeLa line. If HeLa is considered to be a household term, then why don’t more people know about her?
I chose this topic because Henrietta Lacks is a person relevant to anyone who was not struck with polio in the last 60 years. Without HeLa cells, Dr. Jonas Salk would not have developed the polio vaccine and a large portion of scientific research would not have been possible. The life and death of Henrietta Lacks saved millions of lives while influencing reform within the medical field. Medical care in the United States is flawed in how patients are treated. Patients are not always given the support and social care that is required alongside physical care. So often times it happens that medical professionals strip their patients of their true identity. Patients are reduced to a body with a name or number. This was exactly the case with Henrietta Lacks. The purpose of this project is to explore who she was as a person, how her experiences have changed medicine, and why her story is relevant to our daily lives.
Through research, I have narrowed the ethical dilemma surrounding Henrietta Lacks down to three main themes: The life of Henrietta Lacks, personal identity as a patient, and medical ethics. These themes branch into various aspects of health yet remain connected to how all can relate to Henrietta Lacks’ experience. There is not a lot of information available on Henrietta Lacks and her connection to the HeLa cells. The book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, provides the most information on Henrietta’s life, the studies conducted on her cells, and her family’s life after her death. I found a few other resources that provide meaningful insight into the controversy surrounding Henrietta Lacks. This website will hopefully allow the reader to see these connections and also make an emotional connection as well.
Background: Multiphoton fluorescence photo of HeLa cells. The cells are stained to show different components. (Photo 1)
All references can be found on the source page.
When the name Henrietta Lacks is mentioned, the majority of people have no idea who she is. Yet, if you mention the term “HeLa” to anyone with a scientific background, they are likely to know exactly what you are talking about. The term HeLa is short for Henrietta Lacks who was a real person. She was a black woman from Virginia born in 1920. She was married and had a family when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Henrietta fought cancer for a while, but ultimately passed away in 1951. Yet, she was not like any other cancer patient. A sample of her cells was taken for examination and the cells continued to replicate even after she had died. These “immortal” cells were given the name HeLa and eventually grew into a multibillion dollar industry. Henrietta Lacks is the name of the real person behind the HeLa line. If HeLa is considered to be a household term, then why don’t more people know about her?
I chose this topic because Henrietta Lacks is a person relevant to anyone who was not struck with polio in the last 60 years. Without HeLa cells, Dr. Jonas Salk would not have developed the polio vaccine and a large portion of scientific research would not have been possible. The life and death of Henrietta Lacks saved millions of lives while influencing reform within the medical field. Medical care in the United States is flawed in how patients are treated. Patients are not always given the support and social care that is required alongside physical care. So often times it happens that medical professionals strip their patients of their true identity. Patients are reduced to a body with a name or number. This was exactly the case with Henrietta Lacks. The purpose of this project is to explore who she was as a person, how her experiences have changed medicine, and why her story is relevant to our daily lives.
Through research, I have narrowed the ethical dilemma surrounding Henrietta Lacks down to three main themes: The life of Henrietta Lacks, personal identity as a patient, and medical ethics. These themes branch into various aspects of health yet remain connected to how all can relate to Henrietta Lacks’ experience. There is not a lot of information available on Henrietta Lacks and her connection to the HeLa cells. The book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, provides the most information on Henrietta’s life, the studies conducted on her cells, and her family’s life after her death. I found a few other resources that provide meaningful insight into the controversy surrounding Henrietta Lacks. This website will hopefully allow the reader to see these connections and also make an emotional connection as well.
Background: Multiphoton fluorescence photo of HeLa cells. The cells are stained to show different components. (Photo 1)
All references can be found on the source page.