Christmas for years has been a time of giving, surrounding ourselves with loved ones and cherishing memories that will last forever. Christmas time is simply a joy. There is a special gift, that has continued to give over many years and still to this day, this gift, her gift would change the world like never before. This year as you sit around the table, share the joy of a name that has been hidden in many parts of Black History and American History for nearly 68 years. Her name is Henrietta Lacks; an African American Tobacco Farmer. If you have not heard of her name maybe you are familiar with the term HeLa. That’s right. Henrietta Lacks has given birth to the advancement of the medical field and is given credit to the study of many vaccines, cures and even cancer treatment. Henrietta was born August 1, 1920 in Roanoke Virginia. Henrietta was raised by her grandfather after her mother died she and ten of her sibling, by way of their father were spread across to be taken care of by different relatives. Henrietta would marry David (Day) April 10, 1941 and move to Maryland. There she would have five children with her husband. However, at the age of 30, Henrietta noticed something unusual within her womb. A knot is what she felt and after having her fifth child she would have moments of bleeding that would eventually be found as a lump on her cervix. She visited John Hopkins Hospital by way of a referral and a biopsy would show that what she had a tumor that went undetected after the birth of her last child. For years, scientist were on the search for an “immortal” cell to study cancer research. A doctor from John Hopkins would steal a piece of her tumor without asking and send it to the scientist in search of the “immortal” cell. Henrietta cells would be exactly what the scientist needed. An ‘immortal cell”. Not only did her cells live but they multiplied; her cells NEVER DIED. They tested her cells on the first space mission trip to see how her cell’s would react in zero gravity, her cells have used for cloning, genome mapping, creating the field of virology, HIV studies, herma, zika, measles, mups even, ERADICATING POLIO! Her cells were so much a part of who we are today that because her cells contained (HPV-18), the strain that causes cervical cancer, that KILLED Henrietta would become a vaccine to help reduce cases of HPV. Her cells have created breakthroughs in hemophilia, Parkinson’s Disease, INFLUENZA even leukemia and over 74,000 studies. The amount of money made from HeLa cells in incalculable. At a cost of $250- $10,000 a vial, billions of dollars were made from Henrietta’s cells. Where is the family of Henrietta Lacks? 25 years after her death, the family (her children) would find out about parts of their mother’s legacy by accident. Henrietta’s family suffered for many years as they lived impoverished, unable to afford many things that today we take lightly of. Elsie, Henrietta’s daughter was sent to the “Negro Insane of Maryland” as she suffered from issues of hearing loss and at that time considered (mentally unstable). This is a horrid truth to comprehend but this is the truth of many stories that our ancestors have given us throughout history including, but not limited to Tuskegee Syphilis Study. During that time there were not laws that really protected patients’ rights and the doctors assumed they did not need her permission to use her cells harvested in 1951. For decades, her family has fought for the compensation of their mother’s cells. What can we take from this? As we sit together around the tree and we look at the many gifts that we might share, let us look at ourselves and stare into the eyes of our families and if you or anyone you know has benefited from a vaccine, polio, Parkinson's, leukemia and other medical advances, let us remember the gift, that has continued to give from our dear sister Henrietta Lacks and her family. Share your gift this season with this story and the more compelled you are to find out more information by searching the Henriettalacksfoundation.org. Maybe this is a good time to give back to what has been given to us, even as unknowingly as it seems. Merry Christmas.
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