Around Baltimore, it’s difficult to find someone unfamiliar with the name Henrietta Lacks. If they do not know Lacks herself, then they have surely heard of the “HeLa” cell, the first and oldest immortal cell line, which is the cornerstone of modern scientific cell research.
Lacks, who spent much of her life in Turner Station, did not know that her cells were a landmark in scientific research; she only knew that she was going to Johns Hopkins for a cancer cell biopsy. Her cells were taken without her consent, and she died mere months after the sample was biopsied without ever knowing her impact on scientific research.
To celebrate Lacks’ memory, the Turner Station Heritage Foundation is hosting its 28th annual Praise Heritage Day “Cell-a-Bration” in memory of Lacks, as well as a few other key members that the neighborhood recently lost…