Tessa Quinn
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, was an African-American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research. Lacks was born on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia, and died on October 4, 1951, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The hospital played a significant role in her life and legacy, as it was there that her cancer cells were extracted and cultured without her knowledge or consent, sparking ethical debates and contributing to numerous scientific breakthroughs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the hospital | Johns Hopkins Hospital |
| Location | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Year of admission | 1951 |
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What You'll Learn
- Henrietta Lacks was born in Roanoke, Virginia
- She gave birth to her last child at Johns Hopkins Hospital
- She was diagnosed with cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital
- She received radium treatments at Johns Hopkins Hospital
- Johns Hopkins Hospital was one of the few hospitals treating Black patients at the time
Henrietta Lacks was born in Roanoke, Virginia
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, entered this world on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia. She was born to Eliza Pleasant (née Lacks) and John "Johnny" Randall Pleasant. Tragically, when Lacks was only four years old, her mother passed away while giving birth to her tenth child. Following this devastating event, Lacks' father relocated the family to Clover, Virginia, where the children were cared for by various relatives. Lacks found a home with her maternal grandfather, Thomas "Tommy" Henry Lacks, in a log cabin that had once served as slave quarters on a plantation owned by her white great-grandfather and great-uncle.
Lacks' early life in Roanoke was marked by hardship and loss, but she also experienced joy and connection. She attended the designated black school located two miles from her cabin until circumstances compelled her to drop out in the sixth grade to support her family. At the age of 14, she gave birth to her first child, Lawrence Lacks, followed by her daughter Elsie Lacks a few years later.
In 1941, Lacks married David "Day" Lacks in Halifax County, Virginia. Soon after, influenced by their cousin Fred Garrett, the couple decided to leave their tobacco farm in Virginia and relocate to Turner Station, near Dundalk, Maryland. This move brought them to the industrial city of Baltimore, where Day found employment at Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point, Maryland, benefiting from the increased demand for steel during World War II.
In Baltimore, Lacks continued to nurture her family and establish a life for herself and her loved ones. She gave birth to three more children: David "Sonny" Lacks Jr., Deborah Lacks (later Deborah Lacks Pullum), and Joseph Lacks (later Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman). Unfortunately, it was also in Baltimore that Lacks' health began to deteriorate. In 1951, she experienced concerning symptoms, including a lump on her cervix, which ultimately led to her diagnosis of cervical cancer. Despite seeking treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the cancer aggressively spread throughout her body, and she passed away on October 4, 1951, at the young age of 31.
Although Henrietta Lacks' physical presence ended in 1951, her legacy continues to impact the world. During her treatment, cells were taken from her tumour without her knowledge or consent, and these cells became the first immortalised human cell line, known as HeLa cells. Unlike previous cell samples, Lacks' cancerous cells multiplied at an extraordinary rate and defied the laws of biology. Even after her death, these cells continued to thrive in culture, becoming a groundbreaking force in science and contributing to numerous medical breakthroughs.
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She gave birth to her last child at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant on 1 August 1920, was an African-American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalised human cell line. These cells have been critical to numerous medical advances, including the development of the polio vaccine, drugs for treating herpes, leukemia, influenza, hemophilia, and Parkinson's disease, and important scientific advances such as cloning and in vitro fertilisation.
Lacks was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and raised by her grandfather on a tobacco farm in Clover, Virginia, following the death of her mother, Eliza, in childbirth. In 1941, she married David "Day" Lacks, and the couple moved to Turner Station, near Dundalk, Maryland, in Baltimore County, where Day worked at Bethlehem Steel.
Lacks gave birth to five children: Lawrence (born 1935), Elsie (born 1939), David "Sonny" Jr. (born 1947), Deborah (born 1949), and Joseph (born 1950), later known as Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman after converting to Islam. She gave birth to her last child, Joseph, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore in November 1950.
Johns Hopkins Hospital was one of the few hospitals at the time to treat Black patients. Lacks had sensed a "knot" inside her before her fifth pregnancy and experienced worrisome bleeding and a lump on her cervix after giving birth to Joseph. She was referred to the gynecology department at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where a biopsy indicated the presence of a cervical tumour. She received radium treatments, during which a surgeon extracted two tissue samples from her cervix without her knowledge or consent: one from the tumour and one from healthy tissue. These samples were sent to Dr George Gey's lab, where they became the first immortalised human cell line.
Henrietta Lacks died on 4 October 1951, at the age of 31, but her cells continue to impact the world. While her cells thrived, the cancer spread throughout her body, and she passed away. Lacks' cells were used without her consent, and her family lived in poverty while corporations profited from her cellular legacy. Her story has spurred new laws and regulations regarding informed consent and has become a symbol for conversations about race, medical exploitation, and tissue ownership.
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She was diagnosed with cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, was diagnosed with cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1951. She was 31 years old at the time and had five children.
Lacks first went to Johns Hopkins Hospital in January 1951 after finding a lump in her cervix. A sample of the mass was taken, and a few days later, she was diagnosed with stage 1 cervical cancer. She began radiation therapy the following month. During her treatment, a surgeon took tissue samples from her cervix without her knowledge or consent, which was common practice at the time. These samples were sent to Dr. George Gey's lab, where they became the first immortalized human cell line, known as the HeLa cell line.
The HeLa cells reproduced at a very high rate and could be kept alive long enough to allow for more in-depth examination. They defied the laws of biology, doubling every 24 hours instead of dying after a few divisions. This made them ideal for medical research, and they continue to be used to this day.
Despite the impact that her cells have had on medicine, Henrietta Lacks and her family never received compensation for the extraction or use of the HeLa cells. The case has brought about new laws and regulations regarding informed consent and has sparked conversations about race, medical exploitation, and ownership of bodily tissues.
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She received radium treatments at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia. She was an African-American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line. These cells continue to be a source of invaluable medical data to the present day.
In January 1951, Henrietta Lacks received radium treatments at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Johns Hopkins was the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients at the time. She had a severe haemorrhage after giving birth to her fifth child, Joseph, and her doctor, Howard W. Jones, took a biopsy of a mass found on her cervix. She was diagnosed with a malignant epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix, later corrected to an adenocarcinoma. During her treatment, a surgeon took two tissue samples from her cervix without her knowledge or consent—one from her tumour and one from healthy tissue. This practice was common at the time, and her family would remain unaware for over twenty years.
The samples were sent to Dr. George Otto Gey's lab, where researchers had been trying for years to grow human cells in a lab. Lacks's cells defied the laws of biology—they doubled every 20 to 24 hours instead of dying after a few divisions. Dr. Gey's team named them HeLa after the first two letters of her first and last names.
Henrietta Lacks passed away on October 4, 1951, but her cells were just starting their immortal journey. Johns Hopkins has never sold or profited from the discovery or distribution of HeLa cells and does not own the rights to the HeLa cell line. Instead, they offered the cells freely and widely for scientific research. Today, Johns Hopkins actively participates in efforts to raise awareness of the life and story of Henrietta Lacks and upholds the highest standards of medical ethics.
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Johns Hopkins Hospital was one of the few hospitals treating Black patients at the time
Henrietta Lacks was born in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1920. She moved to Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband and children in search of a better life.
Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. She walked into Johns Hopkins Hospital, which was one of the few hospitals treating Black patients at the time. The hospital was racially segregated, with separate wards for Black and white patients. Lacks received treatment for her cancer, and it was during this time that a biopsy was taken from her tumour without her knowledge or consent. These cells, known as HeLa cells, became the first immortalised human cell line and continue to be a source of invaluable medical data.
The racial integration of hospital beds at Johns Hopkins was a significant event. An Osler resident made the decision to integrate the beds, marking a departure from the previously segregated floors. However, this change did not extend to other areas of the hospital, such as the morgue, which remained segregated. Despite the integration of beds, Johns Hopkins Hospital continued to exclude Black students, residents, and faculty, with single-digit representation for decades.
The treatment of Lacks and the use of her cells without her consent sparked ethical debates and legal changes. Johns Hopkins has acknowledged that it could have done more to respect the privacy and interests of Lacks and her family. The hospital has expressed support for legal changes protecting research subjects and has committed to honouring Lacks' contributions and protecting her family's medical information.
Today, Johns Hopkins continues to recognise the legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the impact of her cells on medical advancements. A multidisciplinary building on the Johns Hopkins East Baltimore campus has been named in her honour.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear in which hospital Henrietta Lacks was born. However, sources indicate that she was born in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1920.
Henrietta Lacks died in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 4, 1951.
Henrietta Lacks was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951 after finding a lump on her cervix. She was diagnosed with stage 1 cervical cancer and received radium treatments. During her treatment, a biopsy was taken without her knowledge or consent, which became the first immortalized human cell line, known as HeLa cells.
