Thesis Statement
Henrietta Lack's death gave birth to a path towards significant discoveries and left a legacy that undoubtedly expanded the scientific field immensely.
Henrietta Lack's death gave birth to a path towards significant discoveries and left a legacy that undoubtedly expanded the scientific field immensely.
In 1952, one of the worst outbreaks to ever hit the United States spread like wildfire throughout the country. Poliomyelitis or Polio is an infectious disease caused by a virus that paralyzes and/or kills. Out of the nearly 58,000 cases reported in 1952: 3,145 people died and 21,269 were left with mild paralyses. During this time period two people helped stop this terrible disease from taking thousands of more lives: The well known Jonas Salk, and the young mother from Virginia, Henrietta Lacks.
"We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph."- Ellie Wiesel
Henrietta's head stone given to her over decade after she had died (Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks).
"It is possible that, from a fundamental study such as this, we will be able to learn a way by which cancer can be completely wiped out."- Dr. George Otto Gey
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Photo of Henrietta Lacks
http://www.lacksfamily.net
http://www.lacksfamily.net