Henrietta Lacks

So before Christmas I read 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' - a story about the life and death of an amazing woman.

She died of cervical cancer in 1951, and these cancer cells were taken from her before her death and used to create the first immortalised cell line ("HeLa").

The HeLa cells were a godsend for biological and medical research. They are the reason we developed a cure for Polio, they were vital in understanding cell biology and replication - and are still being used today for cancer research amongst other things.

Henrietta, an African American woman, 3 generations out of slavery had a difficult life. There was little money, or education available in her family and after her death her children struggled with the same issues.

The story of the HeLa cell line is long, and sad, and beautiful - and I recommend anyone who reads this to research the story for themselves. But most of all I want to say how wonderful it is that a woman like Henrietta has contributed so much to today's society, and has saved so many lives. She was, and still is, a remarkable woman and her name should never be forgotten.