Rebecca meets Deborah Lacks, Henrietta’s daughter. Henrietta dies in 1951, leaving behind her husband and five children. Henrietta receives painful radium treatments, which were common at the time. The Lacks family does not know that Henrietta’s cells are still alive. She starts having strong stomach pain and heavy bleeding. Henrietta goes to Johns Hopkins Hospital because other hospitals would not treat Black patients. Her cells keep growing and do not die like other human cells. The treatments do not work, and Henrietta’s health gets worse. The family remembers doctors taking blood samples without clear explanations. Years later, a writer named Rebecca Skloot becomes interested in the story of HeLa cells. Scientists use HeLa cells to help with major medical research. While treating her, doctors take samples of her tumor without asking her permission. Scientists notice that Henrietta’s cells are different from normal cells. She tries to talk to Henrietta’s family, but they do not trust her at first. Doctors tell her she has cervical cancer. Doctors name her cells HeLa, using the first letters of her name. Rebecca learns that HeLa cells came from a real woman, not just a lab sample. HeLa cells are grown in labs and sent to scientists all over the world. Henrietta Lacks is introduced as a hardworking Black woman living in Maryland in the 1950s. Deborah worries that her mother’s cells were abused or hurt. Deborah explains that her family has struggled with poverty and mistrust of doctors. Deborah is confused and scared about what happened to her mother’s cells. Rebecca carefully explains how cells and cancer work. -Deborah agrees to work with Rebecca to better understand what happened to her mother. Rebecca meets Deborah Lacks, Henrietta’s daughter. Henrietta dies in 1951, leaving behind her husband and five children. Henrietta receives painful radium treatments, which were common at the time. The Lacks family does not know that Henrietta’s cells are still alive. She starts having strong stomach pain and heavy bleeding. Henrietta goes to Johns Hopkins Hospital because other hospitals would not treat Black patients. Her cells keep growing and do not die like other human cells. The treatments do not work, and Henrietta’s health gets worse. The family remembers doctors taking blood samples without clear explanations. Years later, a writer named Rebecca Skloot becomes interested in the story of HeLa cells. Scientists use HeLa cells to help with major medical research. While treating her, doctors take samples of her tumor without asking her permission. Scientists notice that Henrietta’s cells are different from normal cells. She tries to talk to Henrietta’s family, but they do not trust her at first. Doctors tell her she has cervical cancer. Doctors name her cells HeLa, using the first letters of her name. Rebecca learns that HeLa cells came from a real woman, not just a lab sample. HeLa cells are grown in labs and sent to scientists all over the world. Henrietta Lacks is introduced as a hardworking Black woman living in Maryland in the 1950s. Deborah worries that her mother’s cells were abused or hurt. Deborah explains that her family has struggled with poverty and mistrust of doctors. Deborah is confused and scared about what happened to her mother’s cells. Rebecca carefully explains how cells and cancer work. -Deborah agrees to work with Rebecca to better understand what happened to her mother.
(Print)
Rebecca meets Deborah Lacks, Henrietta’s daughter.
Henrietta dies in 1951, leaving behind her husband and five children.
Henrietta receives painful radium treatments, which were common at the time.
The Lacks family does not know that Henrietta’s cells are still alive.
She starts having strong stomach pain and heavy bleeding.
Henrietta goes to Johns Hopkins Hospital because other hospitals would not treat Black patients.
Her cells keep growing and do not die like other human cells.
The treatments do not work, and Henrietta’s health gets worse.
The family remembers doctors taking blood samples without clear explanations.
Years later, a writer named Rebecca Skloot becomes interested in the story of HeLa cells.
Scientists use HeLa cells to help with major medical research.
While treating her, doctors take samples of her tumor without asking her permission.
Scientists notice that Henrietta’s cells are different from normal cells.
She tries to talk to Henrietta’s family, but they do not trust her at first.
Doctors tell her she has cervical cancer.
Doctors name her cells HeLa, using the first letters of her name.
Rebecca learns that HeLa cells came from a real woman, not just a lab sample.
HeLa cells are grown in labs and sent to scientists all over the world.
Henrietta Lacks is introduced as a hardworking Black woman living in Maryland in the 1950s.
Deborah worries that her mother’s cells were abused or hurt.
Deborah explains that her family has struggled with poverty and mistrust of doctors.
Deborah is confused and scared about what happened to her mother’s cells.
Rebecca carefully explains how cells and cancer work.
-Deborah agrees to work with Rebecca to better understand what happened to her mother.
