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At the center of the Henrietta Lacks story are people asking questions.
For people trying to understanding the biology of human cells,
it's there.
For bioethicists, for patients, this is why Johns Hopkins
is committed to outreach and education for all the community.
>> It's a labor of love.
We all feel like we're connected to this beautiful woman,
who we call the mother of medicine.
It really makes you think about how powerful an impact one person,
unknowingly, could make.
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>> Good morning everyone.
>> Good morning.
>> Thank you all for coming to learn more about my great grandmother and
what her legacy has left for all of us here today.
So over 60 years ago my grandmother- >> In my capacity as the Director of
Outreach for the Institute of Clinical and Translational Research,
I organize educational programs related to Henrietta Lacks.
And the main focus is to increase awareness
of Henrietta Lacks' impact on medicine and society,
to gain a better understanding of the science behind healer cells.
And also to create a open dialogue about the social
issues that were occurring around the time,
in which, Henrietta Lacks' cells were cultured.
>> I would say that Henrietta is probably, if not the most important,
certainly one of the most important women in science and medicine.
And we all learn and follow Henrietta Lacks'
legacy as we contribute to research and medicine.
>> Henrietta Lacks was a 31 year old woman admitted to Johns Hopkins
in 1951 for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.
Unfortunately, she had a very aggressive cancer and
within a year she had died.
As part of the care she received at Johns Hopkins, the cells
from her cervix were brought into a laboratory and cultured.
And have become the first human living cell line, which has allowed
us to learn remarkable things about how human cells function.
>> It was really, in my opinion, the launch pad, probably the greatest
discovery in biomedical research in the last half of the 20th century.
It has led to numerous discoveries and development of technologies.
>> It provided the ability for us to understand how cells grow,
how cells divide, whether cells can survive in extreme climates,
going into outerspace.
How radiation damages cells,
how we can produce lots of material to make things like vaccines.
Which is all part of what the HeLa cell has done for
science and for the public.
>> Just the fact that 65 years later a sample of our grandmother's cells
still exists out in the world today is almost superhuman.
>> Our responsibility is to honor the legacy of Henrietta,
to thank her family and
thank her posthumously each year, which is what we do.
We have a Henrietta Lacks memorial lecture.
I think last year we had 1,000 people attend.
Each year we organize the Henrietta Lacks High School Symposium.
We've partnered with the Henrietta Lacks Legacy Group,
the Turner Station Conservation Teams.
And other groups to form a book club that builds a bridge for
people who live in this community and
Hopkins researchers to get together and really talk about issues.
We also have the microscope day in which
we open up the laboratory of one of our colleagues, Jim Potter.
They learn about the significance of her cells.
The Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute offers a $15,000
partnership grant to community-based organizations that partner with
Johns Hopkins researchers to address health challenges that
are impacting people who live in Baltimore.
We also partner with Dunbar High School
to offer the Henrietta Lacks scholarship for
individuals who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine.
And that is really, to us, one of the ultimate ways of honoring
Henrietta Lacks, is to increase the prevalence of individuals working in
medicine who understand the unique challenges of the community.
>> This scholarship is way more than just academics,
it's me being a part of a legacy.
It shows you that Henrietta Lacks, herself,
did more than help cure diseases.
Her sacrifice has given teenagers like me an opportunity to
excel in their future.
>> Students are the next generation,
they're the next generation of doctors, researchers, scientists.
So, to get them exposed to the story of Henrietta Lacks, and
see the mistakes that were made and how we are moving forward,
possibilities are endless.
>> What was most interesting to me was what the providers were saying.
>> Collaboration between the community and academics is what
medicine is supposed to be, we're not supposed to be an ivory tower.
We are supposed to be working with the people we serve.
And by reaching out to the community, we better understand
them, their needs, and they understand what it takes for us.
>> At some point, at some time in life, everybody's gonna get sick.
Everybody's gonna suffer for some type of disease,
some type of cancer, some type of dementia, any type of thing.
So, we need research to find cures, find medication and
find some kind of prevention.
So I think it's very important research, and
I think we need to do our part to get involved.
>> So again,
I wanna say thank you for helping us honor my great grandmother,
Henrietta Lacks and she- >> Henrietta passed away, but yet
she still lives on and she's making a huge impact on society today.
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