Summary

In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a young black woman, visited Johns Hopkins Hospital with a severe case of cervical cancer. Without her knowledge or consent, doctors took samples of her tumor and sent them to George Gey, head of tissue culture research at Hopkins. Gey had spent decades trying to grow immortal human cells in culture, but without success. Henrietta's cells were different. They reproduced an entire generation every 24 hours and never stopped, becoming the first immortal human cells ever grown in a laboratory. These cells, known as HeLa, were a game-changer for medical research.

Henrietta's cells were used in developing the polio vaccine, chemotherapy, cloning, gene mapping, and in vitro fertilization. They were instrumental in studying the genes that cause and suppress cancer, and were used to study diseases like herpes, leukemia, influenza, hemophilia, and Parkinson's. Scientists exposed them to toxins, radiation, and infections, hoping to find ways to stop cancer. HeLa cells were even sent into space to study the effects of zero gravity. Despite the widespread use and profound impact of her cells, Henrietta's family remained unaware of their existence for decades.

In the 1970s, researchers contacted the Lacks family to obtain blood samples, claiming it was for cancer testing. In reality, they needed the samples to better understand the unique properties of HeLa cells. This began a long and troubled relationship between the Lacks family and the scientific community. They grappled with the ethical implications of their mother's cells being taken without consent, the profit made by companies selling the cells, and the lack of acknowledgement of Henrietta's contribution.

Deborah Lacks, Henrietta's daughter, embarked on a journey to understand her mother's cells and their scientific significance. She sought information about her mother's life and the medical procedures that led to the development of HeLa. Deborah's quest for knowledge also led her to uncover the fate of her sister, Elsie, who had been institutionalized at Crownsville State Hospital, an institution with a painful history of patient maltreatment. The book interweaves the story of Henrietta's life and illness with Deborah's search for answers and the family's struggle to come to terms with their legacy.

While HeLa cells revolutionized medical research and countless scientific discoveries, the Lacks family grappled with poverty and lack of access to health care. The book delves into these disparities, raising important ethical questions about tissue ownership, informed consent, and the commercialization of human biological materials. The story also explores the family's complex relationship with faith and science, their attempts to reconcile the immortality of their mother's cells with their own mortality, and their search for recognition of Henrietta's invaluable contribution to medical science.