The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Page #3

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Using techniques that HeLa helped develop,

scientists can now take

a piece of a person's cornea

and grow it in a dish

to help treat blindness.

Imagine that.

Right?

It's a miracle.

- I was hoping I could meet Deborah...

- No, just the men.

My wife, she's a fire dragon

without her morning coffee.

Hmm. Come in the front room

while I take it up.

- Come on.

- Take your time, Daddy.

You like the way she decorate the house?

- Hey, Miss Rebecca!

- Sonny.

- Thank you.

- This is our father.

- Nice to meet you.

- Ma'am.

Lawrence, it's after 2:00.

You're just taking Barbara

her morning coffee?

Miss Rebecca, you better run while you can.

Pay him no mind.

Pops, did you know Mama's cells

gonna make Stevie Wonder see?

Don't surprise me none.

They're not actually being

put into people's eyes, her cells, but, um...

Hey, Pop, Miss Rebecca want to know

everything Dale always asking about.

I'm writing a book about Henrietta,

but what I'm missing is information

about her and her life,

what she liked,

what she liked to do, you know.

She was born in Roanoke?

That's right. Raised in Clover.

Didn't like Baltimore much.

So, every summer

she'd head on down to Clover.

Called herself tending a little tobacco.

Pick it, string it, even after she got sick.

Wow.

And when did you first hear

about your wife's cells and...

Hopkins called, said, "Come on up here,

'cause she died."

They wanted to do an autopsy.

They said, "It'd help your children

in case they come down with cancer."

When I went to claim the body,

none of them doctors told me nothing

about keeping her alive in them tubes.

What'd you expect?

I wouldn't go to Hopkins

to get my toenails cut.

Remember when we were little?

If you were bad,

the old folks would threaten to put you out

so them Hopkins night doctors could get you.

I remember.

Hopkins was known for snatching

black folks, experimenting on them.

You'd be surprised how many people

disappeared in East Baltimore.

They'd snatch them right off the street.

Well, it might be a myth. You never know.

- You know what is a myth?

- Hmm?

Everyone saying Henrietta Lacks

donated them cells.

'Cause she didn't donate nothing.

- Mmm-hmm.

- They took them and didn't ask.

Well, this matters to me,

the story, and why it needs to be told.

If this is something

that's gonna help mankind,

I can't imagine someone not wanting to help,

but be forthright, inform the family.

- Just show a little respect.

- Drop a little note.

- A postcard.

- Something.

Hopkins say they gave them cells away,

but they made millions.

A girlfriend of mine's brother-in-law

worked in a lab over in D.C.

She introduced us, and he said,

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