The book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks", released this month, examined an extraordinary but controversial scientific contribution, made by a young black woman from Baltimore County's Turners Station community, more than a half-century ago. In 1951, Lacks went to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore suffering from cervical cancer. Before she died, the doctors kept some of her tumor cells for research, without her knowledge. They're called, HeLa cells.

Rebecca Skloot, the book's author, revealed that the "HeLa cells," spread around the world, helped to develop the polio vaccine and forge advances in chemotherapy, cloning, gene mapping and in vitro fertilization. Yet, for years, Lack's role remained unacknowledged and her family reaped no financial gain.

She further highlights the irony where Henrietta's family suffered so much poverty, that it could not even afford health insurances for the members and the companies that sold HeLa cells, made billions.

"It's hard to pinpoint how much money has been made, but it's a lot of money," said Skloot.

"I think we owe a lot of gratitude for what Henrietta provided", said Professor Vincent Racaniello, who conducted the experiments on the cells at the Columbia University. "There's absolutely no doubt about that", he added.

After learning better about the medical advances of the HeLa cells, Lack's family shed its anger. "What makes me happy about it is it's something that my mother has contributed to the world," said Sonny, Henrietta's son.