Final answer:
Henrietta Lacks had cervical cancer and her cancer cells, known as HeLa cells, were found to be immortal. Without her knowledge or permission, samples of her cancerous cells were taken and used for medical research.
Step-by-step explanation:
Henrietta Lacks had cervical cancer and her cancer cells, known as HeLa cells, were found to be immortal. Without her knowledge or permission, samples of her cancerous cells were taken and used for medical research, leading to the creation of the immortal HeLa cell line. These cells have been widely used in research, including the development of the polio vaccine.