Henrietta Lacks (HeLa): Immortal and Mysterious
A BOOK REVIEW
Genre: Biography
“HeLa cells were one of the most important things
that happened to medicine in the last hundred years”
‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ takes the readers on a roller-coaster journey about an ‘Immortal Woman’ and navigates in an unfathomable past, through the lens of her family and more perceptibly her daughter Deborah. This book is a perfect amalgamation of science and emotions.
Yes! This is the story of Henrietta Lacks (Aug 1920-Oct 1951). We all
know her as ‘HeLa’. The code ‘HeLa’ originated from first 2 letters of the name
‘Henrietta Lacks’ and is known for the world’s first immortal human
cells. Deborah and the author Rebecca Skloot, take off on an adventurous
journey to unravel mysteries of Henrietta’s life and her eldest daughter- Elsie
Lacks.
Henrietta was born in Virginia, married a tobacco farmer and by the age
of 31, she was a mother of 5. In 1951,
Henrietta visited John Hopkins hospital complaining of a knot in her womb. She
had a history of blood in urine, gonorrhoea, and increased cellular activity in
the cervix. Back then, Hopkins was one of the best hospitals in the country,
especially for African-American patients. Howard Jones, the gynaecologist in
charge of Henrietta’s case diagnosed her with cervical cancer and the biopsy
report revealed a malignant tumour. She began undergoing treatments with Radium
which, along with mutating healthy cells also killed cancer cells.
Dr. George Gey, head of tissue culture research at Hopkins discovered
that Henrietta’s cells were extraordinary and doubled every 24 hours.
“Henrietta’s cells weren’t merely surviving; they were growing with mythological intensity. They became the first immortal human cells ever grown in a laboratory.”
Dr. Gey propagated the HeLa cell line and circulated gallons of HeLa cells to researchers all over the world free of cost. Soon, HeLa cells became famous and the most coveted cells. As HeLa was becoming more valuable day-by-day for the healthcare industry, Henrietta’s family was completely oblivious of these events until more than 20 years after her death.
As the book progresses, the author deep dives into Henrietta’s life through her daughter Deborah. Deborah struggles from countless questions about her mother and sister Elsie who died at a mental shelter at the young age of 15. Deborah’s inquisitiveness leads her to discover some of the most disturbing truths about her family giving her a nervous breakdown.
Moving to the scientific aspect, the book also encompasses the
chronology of several breakthroughs in the field of medical science. Scientists
conducted numerous experiments on HeLa cells. Little did they know that these
cells were not donated by Henrietta voluntarily, rather a part of the tumour
was cut from her cervix during her treatment of cervical carcinoma.
HeLa cells made the world a better place by contributing in various
discoveries and research studies. Some of the noteworthy contributions are world’s
first polio vaccine in 1952, cancer research, cloning of individual cells,
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, successfully understanding the HIV using
HeLa and ways to potentially stop it, chromosome study to determine that humans
have 23 pairs of chromosomes. HeLa cells were the first human cells sent to
space to study the effect of zero gravity on human cells.
The story of Henrietta’s life sent shivers down my spine and there were always mixed feelings while reading this book. My heart sank reading the struggles of Henrietta and her family but I was thankful as well for her contribution to the medical science. It is heart-breaking that no one knew or tried to learn about Henrietta’s life and her family, until recently.
The woman who changed the face of science and created history is still
addressed by her lab code - HeLa and not as an individual. Every biology class
in the world is incomplete without teaching about HeLa cells. Yet, she is still
unfamiliar and a mystery to many.
The author has successfully managed to make a positive impact on the society.
It has captured the attention of the audience from all the fields. This book is a tribute to a wonderful woman,
her family, and their sacrifices that were long overdue. The world will
remember Henrietta Lacks as a remarkable woman who not only brought smiles and
happiness in the lives of the people when she was alive but also continues to
do so years after her death.
