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The Woman Who Has Saved Millions of Lives and Never Knew It
Despite dying at a tragically young age, Henrietta Lacks has impacted the world perhaps as any one person in history
Some of the world’s greatest heroes have been fully aware as their contributions impacted humanity. Others died before ever knowing the extent to which their existence shaped history. One such person was Henrietta Lacks, who died a young woman more than half a century ago but continues to play a large role in everyday life to this day, saving untold numbers of people
Born and raised in Virginia, Lacks came from humble origins. Her family worked farming tobacco and being Black suffered under the rule of Jim Crow. Known for her enjoyment of dressing fashionably, she also enjoyed dancing and cooking in what can only be described as a joie de vivre. She gave birth to five children, but unfortunately in 1951, when she was about to turn 31, she became ill and began to experience abnormal bleeding. Ultimately, a visit to Johns Hopkins Hospital revealed she had cervical cancer. Sadly, despite a series of treatments, the cancer spread to other parts of her body and she passed away on October 4, 1951.
During Lacks’ treatment, a sample of her cancerous cells were collected by Dr. George Gey and taken to his lab…
