Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first 'immortal' human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb's effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot intertwines the life of a poor African American woman, Henrietta Lacks, with the scientific revolution initiated by her cancer cells, known as HeLa cells. After being diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951, Henrietta undergoes treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where cells from her tumor were taken without her knowledge or consent. These cells turned out to be remarkable for their ability to survive and replicate indefinitely, becoming essential to numerous medical breakthroughs. Skloot explores issues of medical ethics, race, and the impact of Henrietta's legacy on her family, who struggled with loss and the implications of their mother’s cells being used in science without their knowledge.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, published in 2010 by Rebecca Skloot, tells the compelling story of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cells were taken without her knowledge in 1951 and used to create the first immortal human cell line, known as HeLa. The book is structured in two parallel narratives: one follows the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks, while the other focuses on the author’s journey to understand her story and the ethical issues surrounding the use of her cells.

The narrative begins with Henrietta Lacks’s life in the early 20th century, growing up in a poor, rural Virginia community. Henrietta was born into a family of tobacco farmers and faced hardship and racism throughout her life. In 1941, she married David Lacks and later moved to Baltimore, where she worked at the family’s farm while raising her children. After experiencing chronic pain, Henrietta went to Johns Hopkins Hospital and was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. During her treatment, Dr. George Gey, the head of tissue culture research, took cells from Henrietta’s tumor without her consent, a common practice at the time that raised significant ethical questions.

Henrietta's cells were unique; they were able to reproduce outside her body and survive without the usual limitations of human cells. Gey’s team began growing and distributing these HeLa cells to scientists around the world, leading to groundbreaking research in cancer, polio, genetics, and virology, including the development of the polio vaccine. Throughout the 1950s and beyond, the HeLa cells contributed to numerous medical advancements, all while Henrietta remained unaware of her cells’ significance. Tragically, she died in 1951, just a few months after her diagnosis, leaving her husband and five children to cope with the loss.

The second thread of the narrative follows Rebecca Skloot's quest to learn more about Henrietta’s life and legacy. Skloot wrestles with the ethical implications of using Henrietta’s cells without consent, particularly as her cells become a multi-million dollar industry. Through extensive research and interviews with Henrietta's family, Skloot aims to give Henrietta a voice and highlight the issues of race, medical ethics, and exploitation in the scientific community.

Skloot spends years getting to know the Lacks family, particularly her daughter, Deborah, who struggled with the knowledge that her mother’s cells had transformed modern medicine without any recognition of their origin or compensation for the family. Deborah carries deep emotional scars over her mother’s legacy, compounded by her family's financial struggles and the lack of understanding about how science benefitted from Henrietta's cells. Deborah’s dialogue with Skloot adds an emotional depth to the narrative, expressing both her anger and her desire to honor her mother’s memory.

Through her research, Skloot reveals the stark disparities in healthcare and rights between white patients and African American patients, as exemplified by the Lacks family's traumatic experiences with Henrietta’s illness and the overarching exploitation involved in her case. The book delves into the complex history surrounding informed consent, especially in African American communities, where mistrust of the medical establishment runs deep due to historical abuses, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

Finally, Skloot reveals the HeLa cell line’s continued impact, including its use in various scientific studies and the questions it raises about ownership, bioethics, and the balance of scientific progress with respect for individual lives. Henrietta Lacks’s life, intertwined with her cells, takes on a greater meaning—not just for science but for social justice, making the book a poignant reminder of humanity in the world of medical research. Skloot's book is a journey through science, history, and personal struggle that elevates Henrietta Lacks from anonymity to a central figure in biomedicine, shedding light on her enormous, yet often unrecognized, contribution to science.

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" raises important ethical questions about medical research and the use of human tissues. It highlights the contributions of Henrietta Lacks to science while exposing the exploitation and lack of consent that characterized her experience. The book also addresses the broader issues of race, poverty, and the power dynamics in the medical field.

Skloot's narrative underscores the human impact of scientific progress, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and respecting the individuals behind medical advancements. The story of Henrietta Lacks and her family serves as a powerful reminder of the need for ethical standards and informed consent in research, as well as the ongoing struggle for racial and social justice in healthcare.