Maryland lawmakers introduced a bill Monday to posthumously award Henrietta Lacks a Congressional Gold Medal for her contributions to medical research through her HeLa cells.

The Henrietta Lacks Congressional Gold Medal Act, introduced by Maryland Rep. Kweisi Mfume and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, would honor Lacks for her contribution to life-saving research, even though her cell samples were taken without her consent.

Who is Henrietta Lacks?

Lacks was born in the 1920s in Virginia. She later moved to Maryland, and in her 30s, she discovered that she had cervical cancer.

She visited a doctor for treatment at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. At the time, it was one of the only hospitals that would help African Americans, according to the bill.

During her treatment, a doctor took sam

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