This Woman’s Cells Were Removed Without Her Consent – But It Has Saved The Lives Of Millions

What happened in 1951 as one odd case is now a general practice. Yes, in 1951, Henrietta Lacks went under the knife to treat cancer. The doctors removed her cell samples from her cervix and now 60 years later; this procedure is still in use and is saving the lives of several cancer patients. Loretta Pleasance of Virginia was one among the nine siblings and when her mother passed away, the children were spread out between their relatives. Lacks went with her grandfather and started living in a log cabin. Due to the unavailability of space, lacks was asked to share a room with her cousin, David. At the age of 14, Lacks gave birth to a baby boy Lawrence and four years later ‘Elsie’ her daughter arrived. After having two children with David, Lacks finally married him in 1941 and settled down in the family Tobacco farm. Life took a drastic change when Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her treatment started with radiation, but doctor George Gey noticed something different in her cells. Generally, cells die when it is brought out of the body, but Lacks’ cell was thriving at a rapid pace even outside. The cells were touted immortal, but Lacks couldn’t survive long. The cancer had already spread all throughout her body and within two months, she was no more. Lacks never knew that her cells are thriving outside her body and her doctor has taken her cells out without her permission. Her cells helped the medical world a lot and were named HeLa cells. Virologist Chester M. Southam took HeLa cells in the bodies of prison inmates to see how their body reacts. The HeLa cells were produced on a large scale when the world started expressing interest in the cells. From the time of discovery of HeLa cells, it has been produced almost 20 tons. 11,000 patents are related to HeLa cells, but it was in 1970 that Lacks’ family came to know about it. When HeLa cells started contaminating cultures and caused serious damage to important research, the Lacks’ family was approached for their blood sample. In 1973, Lack’s daughter-in-law came to know about the shocking news. Now when the family started enquiring about the cell, they realized that their medical records have also been compromised. Finally, when Rebecca Skloot wrote a book on this, the Lacks’ family got the recognition that was due for Henrietta Lacks. The whole world is indebted to Lacks for her cells, else some of the most vital research work wouldn’t have been possible.