#HeLaCells

[3rdeyeblaque]

On August 1st we venerate Ancestor Henrietta Lacks on her 103rd birthday 🎉

Sister Henrietta is known throughout the world as, "The Mother Of Modern Medicine", being the biological source of the HeLa cells - 1st immortalized human cell line, which has been central to cancer research studies & methods. Billions of her cells are presently used in biomedical research development around the world, notably in the manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines, mapping the human genome, HIV/AIDS & cancer treatments, testing human cells against zero gravity in space, other vaccine research, & undoubtedly much more.

Today, however, venerate the woman behind the medical atrocities that it took to achieve such a feight.

Born Roanoke, VA, a young Henrietta grew up working on a tobacco farm with her father, her 9 siblings, & extended relatives on their land in Clover, VA - where their ancestors had worked as slaves. She'd lost her to complications of child birth when she was just 4yrs old. Due to his lack of patience, her father divided his children to be raised among different relatives accordingly. Henrietta was to be raised by her grandfather, who had already taken in her First-Cousin, David "Day" Lacks - who she later married. Henrietta continued her schooling until the 6th grade. On a hopeful prayer, they left Clover, VA for Turner Station, MD to escape the impoverished life that came with tobacco farming. There, they settled down to start their family.

While pregnant with her 5th child, Henrietta discovered a painful knot inside her that persisted through atypical bleeding post-childbirth, among other symptoms. Finally, she sought medical treatment. Prior to this, she & her family would lay flowers at the local Jesus statue, recite prayers & rub his feet for good luck. Henrietta kept her diagnosis to herself so as to not worry her family; she was determined to overcome her medical condition on her own.

While receiving treatment at a segregated ward in John Hopkins University, doctors took a tissue sample of her tumor for medical research without her knowledge or consent. This was an everyday practice at most medical institutions of the time. Unfortunately, Sister Henrietta did not survive her treatment. She was later buried at the Lacks Family Cemetery in Clover, Va.

Following her death, the medical research scientists from John Hopkins University coerced her husband to consenting to have an autopsy conducted on her remains; they claimed doing so would provide beneficial health information to his children. This allowed them to lawfully collect tissue samples from all of Henrietta 's organs. As of 2020, the cells from these tissue samples that were collected on that day & prior are THE most widely used in biomedical research labs around the world.

For all her pain, suffering, & desecration (of which the latter continues presently), may Sister Henrietta be forever elevated in peace, healing, & light in the spiritual as her physical essence has become immortalized in the physical.

We pour libations💧& give her 💐 today as we celebrate her for her love of family, community, & faith.

Offering suggestions: prayers toward her elevation, libations of water, catholic prayers, & a Catholic Bible.

‼️Note: offering suggestions are just that & strictly for veneration purposes only. Never attempt to conjure up any spirit or entity without proper divination/Mediumship counsel.‼️

[blacklifescience]

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks reminded me of Lisa Jean-Moore’s “Speciesism” in a lot of ways. Skloot’s quote (listed above) connected to how Jean-Moore describes the relationship between humans and animals. Moore writes “humans can regard the same animal as both a companion and an object, as is the case with hunting dogs or dogs bred for fighting” Certain social classes and racial groups are often seen as and compared to animals, and treated as such.

In the case of Henrietta Lacks, she was a poor black woman taken advantage of by science. She was not asked for her consent to be tested on after her death in the same way that many animals aren't asked for their consent to be experimented on. Consent in both cases is assumed.  

- RH

[helacells2024]

HeLa cells, derived from Henrietta Lacks' 1951 cervical cancer sample, have revolutionized medical research. These cells, capable of indefinite growth, have been crucial in breakthroughs in cancer research, virology, and genetics.

👩‍🔬 The Origins Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman, unknowingly contributed to science when a sample of her cancer cells was taken without consent during her 1951 treatment at Johns Hopkins.

🧪 Scientific Breakthroughs HeLa cells were pivotal in developing the polio vaccine and have since contributed to cancer research, virology, and genetics. They've been key in understanding cancer mechanisms, virus-cell interactions, and genetic mapping.

⚖️ Ethical Concerns The use of HeLa cells raises ethical issues about informed consent and highlights racial disparities in medical research. The Lacks family's struggle for recognition underscores the need for respecting research participants' rights.

🔬 Legacy & Future HeLa cells continue to drive modern research, from personalized medicine to regenerative therapies. They remind us of the significant impact one cell line can have and the importance of honoring the contributions of individuals like Henrietta Lacks. Visit Hek293 now.

#HeLaCells #MedicalResearch #Ethics #ScientificBreakthroughs

[archvngl]

[atlante83]

Detalles de la nueva obra de @cristinajaen.art 🎨 🎨 🎨 #neuronas #cristinajaen #totheinside #neuronasespejo #artandscience #femaleartist #artecontemporaneo #arte #artcollector #art #science #immortals #helacells #artgallery #neurociencia #expressionism #cerebro #cultura #contemporaryart #arteyciencia #womanartist #springart #nacar #fluor #neurons (en Chengdu, Sichuan)

[el-trotamundos]

In 1951 cells from Henrietta Lacks' tumor were taken and kept without her consent. "Scientists had been trying to keep human cells alive in culture for decades, but they all eventually died. Henrietta's were different: they reproduced an entire generation every twenty-four hours, and they never stopped. They became the first immortal human cells ever grown in a laboratory ... Her cells were part of research into the genes that cause cancer and those that suppress it; they helped develop drugs for treating herpes, leukemia, influenza, hemophilia, and Parkinson's disease; and they've been used to study lactose digestion, sexually transmitted diseases, appendicitis, human longevity, mosquito mating, and the negative cellular effects of working in sewers. Their chromosomes and proteins have been studied with such detail and precision that scientists know their every quirk ... Today, Invitrogen sells HeLa products that cost anywhere from $100 to nearly $10,000 per vial." Yet her name and contribution to science is unknown and her descendents can't afford health insurance. #currentlyreading #bookworm #bookstagram #supportlocallibraries #nonfiction #science #medicalethics #henriettalacks #helacells

[djmophatt]

The DNA of a #BlackWoman is injected in every #vaccinated person in America. • #realralk #motherearth #swipeleft #HeLa #henriettalacks #helacells #history #medicine #usa #america #american #merica #murica #cells #polio #cancer #hpv #miracle #melanin #wakeup #staywoke #DNA #science #nopermission

[giofvcks]

Henrietta Lacks HeLa cells. Rest In Eternal Peace Queen. @blackwomenradicals “Today is the anniversary of Henrietta Lacks’ death. We know medical anti-Black racism, misogynoir, transphobia, queerphobia & more has disproportionately impacted Black women + non-binary people.” #blackwomenlead #blackwomenmatter #blacklivesmatter #herstory #history #blackwomenradicals #regram #blackhistory #henriettalacks #ripheriettalacks #health #helacells #helacellshavesavedsomeoneyouknow https://www.instagram.com/p/B3NFse4DDct/?igshid=7wt1mdob7ysc

[undocumentedny]

#HenriettaLacks (nee #LorettaPleasant aka #HeLa) was a wife and mother who, in death, saved the lives of millions and made major contributions to medical science. On January 29, 1951 Mrs Lacks went to Johns Hopkins hospital (the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients at the time) complaining of feeling like there was a "knot" in her womb and suffering from severe hemorrhage. She was diagnosed with malignant epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix and after a short period of treatment, she died in October of 1951 leaving behind a husband and 5 children at the age of 31. During her treatment, doctors took samples of her cervical cells without her permission or knowledge. One sample contained healthy cells the other contained cancerous cells. The cancerous cells eventually became known as #HeLaCells an immortal cell line (they can grow and reproduce indefinitely) that came to be commonly used in contemporary biomedical research. All well and good except for the fact that neither she nor her family was informed of the existence of the cells, their ubiquity, or the advances that had been made due to their existence until the 1970s, even though doctors and researchers were well aware of their origins. Her family also had to fight to receive monetary compensation for their use, even though the cells were arguably worth billions or even priceless. In the 1980s family medical records were published without family consent. In March 2013 researchers published the DNA sequence of the genome of a strain of HeLa cells. The Lacks family was only made aware of this when author Rebecca Skloot (author of #TheImmortalLifeOfHenriettaLacks) informed them. There is much more to the story and the family was eventually vindicated and remunerated for their sacrifice. If you're interested read Rebecca Skloot's book and watch the upcoming film of the same name starring #OprahWinfrey (source Wikipedia) #blackhistoryyear #blackhistorymonth #BlackGirlMagic✨

[blacklifescience]

Red Nail Polish

Red nail polish symbolizes Henrietta Lack’s individuality. During her autopsy, Mary Kubicek realized that Henrietta’s cells came from a human being. The color red was something that could be connected to Henrietta’s personality, taste, and individualism, so she could not ignore how those factors played into Henrietta being just as human as she was, and not just a corpse. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Rebecca Skloot)

[meetmeatthewhaleskull]

do we change houses every year?

I’d say the general population of students change houses every year. Everyone lives on campus in their first year, after which point students can find a rental in town (most do) or enter into the lottery to remain on campus (99.9% of those who elect this option are able to stay on campus; it’s a numbers thing). And typically upper-year students on-campus live in shared housing. It really depends on how large the incoming class is versus how many rooms we have available. This will vary from year to year and is impossible to predict precisely because we don’t know exactly how many accepted students will decide to enroll at COA.

(HeLaCel Living Room Project)

[archvngl]

[everythangculture]

10th Day of #BlackHistoryMonth2020 ⁣ 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬⁣ ⁣ Born: August 1, 1820⁣ ⁣ #Lacks grew up in rural Virginia. After giving birth to two of their children, she married her cousin David "Day" Lacks. In 1941 the young family moved to Turner Station, near Dundalk, Maryland, in Baltimore County, so Day could work in Bethlehem Steel at Sparrows Point. ⁣ ⁣ After Lacks had given birth to their fifth child, in 1951, #Henrietta visited The Johns Hopkins Hospital complaining of vaginal bleeding. Upon examination, renowned gynecologist Dr. Howard Jones discovered a large, malignant tumor on her cervix. At the time, The Johns Hopkins Hospital was one of only a few hospitals to treat #poor #AfricanAmericans.⁣ ⁣ As medical records show, Mrs. Lacks began undergoing radium treatments for her cervical cancer. This was the best medical treatment available at the time for this terrible disease. A sample of her cancer cells retrieved during a biopsy was sent to Dr. George Gey's nearby tissue lab. For years, Dr. Gey, prominent cancer and virus researcher had been collecting cells from all patients who came to The Johns Hopkins Hospital with cervical cancer, but each sample quickly died in Dr. Gey’s lab. What he would soon discover was that Mrs. Lacks’ cells were unlike any of the others he had ever seen: where other cells would die, Mrs. Lacks' cells doubled every 20 to 24 hours.⁣ ⁣ Today, these incredible cells— nicknamed #HeLacells, from the first two letters of her first and last names — are used to study the effects of toxins, drugs, hormones, and viruses on the growth of cancer cells without #experimenting on humans. They have been used to test the effects of radiation and poisons, to study the #humangenome, to learn more about how viruses work and played a crucial role in the development of the polio vaccine.⁣ ⁣ Although Mrs. #Lacks ultimately passed away on October 4, 1951, at the age of 31, her cells continue to impact the #world.⁣ ⁣ #Blackhistory #everthangculture #DNA #podcast #connectingcultures (at Mount Baker, Seattle) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8a3IspgDUn/?igshid=1bjpofn5021n2

[atlante83]

En breve conoceremos algunos detalles de la obra de @cristinajaen.art en @gtheredoom con @artperissinotto 🎨 🎨 🎨 #cristinajaen #arteyciencia #artandscience #arte #art #artecontemporaneo #womanartist #madrid #femaleartist #expressionism #contemporaryart #painting #immortals #science #helacells #cultura #conceptart #artcollector #neurons #fromtheinside #artgallery #theredoom #theredoomlaterraza #theredoomgallery #gallery

[amberroblesgordon]

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A post shared by Amber Robles Gordon (@amberroblesgordon)

Installed Above All You Must Not Play At God, today at Pepsi Edison Place Gallery. #immortallifeofhenriettalacks #rebeccaskloot #helacells #henriettalacks #BADC #blackartistsofdc Branch # 1 Talking stick: mother of modern medicine Branch # 2 Talking stick: black cell, black life resiliency Branch # 3 to Lawrence, Elsie, Sonny, Deborah and Zakriyya Branch # 4 Cell Commercialization without Representation Branch #5 The sugar-icing of Henrietta Lacks Branch #6 Above All Branch # 7 Talking stick: matters of without a black women's consent (SOLD) (at Pepco Edison Place Gallery)