Henrietta Lacks had painful symptoms from cervical cancer in the 1950s. At that time, many doctors did not listen carefully to Black patients. They often thought their pain was not as serious. This made Henrietta’s symptoms seem less important. When she went to the doctor, they quickly took a sample of her cells without asking for her permission. Her cells became very important for research, but she never knew about it or received help for her illness like she should have.