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Shared June 18, 2025
Henrietta Lacks was a 31-year-old African American mother from Baltimore.
She died in 1951—believing her cancer treatment had ended.
But behind the scenes, doctors had taken a sample of her cells… without her consent.
The video tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, and how her cells became immortal. Doctors took tissue samples without informed consent, leading to scientific advancement. Today her hela cells are still used in medical research.
Unlike any before, Henrietta’s cells never died.
They multiplied endlessly.
Today, those same cells—called HeLa—are still alive.
They’ve been used to:
Develop the polio vaccine
Map the human genome
Study cancer, H IV, infertility
Even launch experiments into space
But for decades, Henrietta’s name was erased.
Her family didn’t know. And the world didn’t ask.
This is the story of the woman behind the cells that changed medicine forever.
Written and narrated by Erin from Chronicles and Curiosities
Visuals created using AI and historical reference
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Had you heard of Henrietta Lacks before today? Let us know in the comments.
