‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ Touches on History, Mental Health & Repairing Broken Relationships

Henrietta Lacks was admitted to John Hopkins Hospital in 1951 after falling victim to cervical cancer. She would later die in that same hospital at the young age of 31. She left behind four loving children, a good reputation with everyone she encountered and, most importantly, cell tissue that would later be used for some of the most advanced achievements in the medical field. So, what’s the issue? Well, no one in Lacks’ family even knew that doctors at John Hopkins took a sample of her cancer cells. They didn’t even know the the famous “HeLa” cells being used to cure polio and research cancer were taken from their mother and not a fictional Helen Lane. They definitely didn’t know that they were being sent into space.

To tell this story, freelance writer Rebecca Skloot tracked down Lacks’ remaining relatives and researched the unsung hero of the modern medical world. After her book on the experience became a constant on The New York Times Best-Seller’s list for nearly six years, Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios committed to bringing the story to life in film. On April 22, HBO will premiere The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks to further cement the legacy of a woman who indirectly saved the lives of millions of people. The film stars Winfrey as Deborah Lacks, Henrietta’s daughter, and Rose Byrne as Rebecca Skloot, as they work diligently to rediscover the history of the HeLa cells and the person they came from. While doing so, they also find out just how far the medical field we…