This Day in History: Henrietta Lacks born in Roanoke

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – On this day, 105 years ago in 1920, Henrietta Lacks was born in Roanoke. She later moved to Halifax County.

After a diagnosis of cervical cancer in 1951, her cells were taken by doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital without her permission, which was common practice at the time but still brings up ethical discussions.

Henrietta’s cells are the source of the HeLa cell line…

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