HR0250 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0250 LRB104 12659 ECR 23406 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman, was born as Loretta Pleasant to Eliza Lacks Pleasant and John Randal in Roanoke, Virginia on August 1, 1920; she married David Lacks, and they had five children; she passed away from cervical cancer at the age of 31 in Johns Hopkins Hospital's racially segregated "colored ward" in Baltimore, Maryland on October 4, 1951, leaving behind her children, husband, and her "immortal cells", known as HeLa cells, that became the foundation for several advances in modern medicine and have saved over 10 million lives; she was buried at the Lacks Family Cemetery in Clover, Virginia; and

WHEREAS, After her death, a scientist discovered that Henrietta Lacks' DNA cells lived outside of her body and never died; in contrast, all other human cells died after a few hours outside the body; not only did her cells stay alive in the lab, but the cells also replicated every 24 hours; during her treatment, samples of her cancer cells were taken without her knowledge nor her consent; said more emphatically, she did not donate her cervical cancer cells; and

WHEREAS, Henrietta Lacks' immortal DNA cells were coined "HeLa", combining the first two letters of her first name and the first two letters of her last name, and were subsequently camouflaged by the scientific community's pseudonym "Helen Lane" rather than Henrietta Lacks; this massive medical breakthrough allowed researchers to conduct experiments on human cells outside of the body, and HeLa cells have played a crucial role in medical science; and

WHEREAS, Scientists have continued to use the immortal HeLa cell line all over the world, including in research on the effects of zero gravity in outer space, the development of polio and COVID-19 vaccines, and the study of molecular biology, HIV/AIDS, cloning, COVID-19, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and cancer, including leukemia chemotherapy; and

WHEREAS, For decades, Henrietta Lacks' family had no knowledge regarding her immortal DNA cells and the breakthroughs that came from them; it was not until a scientist contacted her children asking for blood samples in 1973 that the family learned their mother's cells were being used globally; and

WHEREAS, Alfred "Lacks" Carter Jr., the son of Deborah Lacks and the grandson of Henrietta Lacks, is the founder and president of the HeLa House, located in Chicago, and the Henrietta House of Healing; he is a senior advisor to the Lacks family, leads the HELA100 initiative, and is a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Cervical Cancer Elimination; the 2019 Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act and House of Appropriation Report 116-450 not only honor the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks but each also includes a provision for a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study about the diverse representation of patients in cancer clinical trials; and

WHEREAS, Alfred "Lacks" Carter Jr. is committed to generously giving his time and talents to preserving Henrietta Lacks' legacy; he hopes to empower and educate others about his grandmother and her medical contributions, and he endorses and promotes clinical research and the impact it has on health and racial disparities; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman, whose contributions to medical science have had a lasting impact though her name is not widely known; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize Alfred "Lacks" Carter Jr. for his work to preserve Henrietta Lacks' legacy and for his contributions in the fight against cervical cancer; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge support for community-based research and education programs, which are vital to educating and empowering community members so they can make informed decisions about being involved in clinical research and the research process; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge support for clinical research to reduce health disparities, to save lives, to gain insights about the safety and effectiveness of drugs and other medical treatments, and to discover treatments for various diseases.