Final :Henrietta Lacks

Henrietta Lacks

Taylor Huffman

When people think or hear of cancer treatments they generally think of chemotherapy. Have they ever thought of what is actually in the chemicals in the chemotherapy?  The main ingredient in those chemicals is HeLa cells. He-La stands for (He) nrietta (La) cks. “Henrietta Lacks was a thirty-two year old African American woman. Henrietta had five children, Lawrence, Elise, Sonny, Zakariyya, Deborah, and her husband Day (David). Henrietta was very a proper young woman. She curled her hair with curlers, painted her nails a deep red, along with a deep red lipstick, and wore a pressed skirt and blouse everyday.” (Skloot, Pg 8 Chap 1) 

“Growing up, she lived in a home house with tobacco fields in Clover with her grandfather. She witnessed death and birth in her house.”(Skloot, Pg1 Chap 3)

I think that if Henrietta Lacks would have known her cells changed science, I believe she would have been delighted her cells have helped millions of people and have created numerous medicines, experiments, expeditions and more. But, the doctors at John Hopkins Hospital took her cells with out consent or even mentioning that they were going to do tests on her cells.

 I think if Dr. TeLinde and Dr. Gey would have asked Henrietta, in my opinion I believe she would have signed off on the experiments, but of course, like any other American, she would have wanted benefits for her family.

 I believe that if the Lacks family would have known earlier in the process that the doctors had taken her cells, The Lacks family could have benefited from the experiments greatly. I also believe that the Lacks family would benefit from the HeLa cell research. Just like any other American family whom have has or has had a relative with a rare disease they get special treatment. The Lacks do not get that special treatment if the doctors would have done the correct procedures they would.  In my opinion Henrietta would want that benefit for her family.

The Lacks family has been through a lot in the past years. I do however think that if Dr. TeLinde and Gey would have done things properly and treated Henrietta like a “white” patient, the situation could be a lot different for Henrietta’s family, and they would not constantly be bombarded with questions from all the different doctors around the world.

I believe that if Henrietta knew how much her cells were worth to science, she would not have approved the idea of Dr. Gey’s lab using her cells without her permission. In my opinion she would have protested that she had not been consented about the samples and that she should get a portion of the profit, those cells were taken from her body and was not even approached about her cells, nor told they were going to be grown in a lab for the doctor’s benefit and profit. I believe the doctors at John Hopkins Hospital took advantage of her because she was black and uneducated. I believe if the scenario would have been different, the hospital would not have taken advantage of the family of Henrietta Lacks, also she would be living in a big house in a crime free neighbor hood and would not have to worry about whether or not they would have the money to pay the bills whether it is a house bill, car or doctors.

The HeLa cells have a long story behind them and the Lacks family has taken many rough roads with these cells starting with Henrietta’s cancer and all the way through out their lives and the John Hopkins Hospital Doctors has taken advantage over a young black woman, left her five children with out a mother, Not enough money to pay for bills and just enough for food. All because the doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital thought that Henrietta Lacks was uneducated and they could cut corners with her procedures and consent forms.

References

“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” Author, Skloot, Rebecca Published, 2010