07/07/2025
The woman who unknowingly saved millions
Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman whose cancer cells, taken without her knowledge in 1951, became one of the most important tools in medicine. Her cells, known as HeLa cells, were the first to survive and multiply outside the human body, leading to major breakthroughs like the polio vaccine, cancer research, and even COVID-19 studies. Though her cells were used worldwide, her family remained unaware for decades and received no compensation. Her story raised critical questions about ethics, consent, and racial injustice in medical research.
