Dr. Roland A. Pattillo, a renowned gynecologic oncologist with a deep devotion to women’s health, had a lifetime interest with Henrietta Lacks’ incredible narrative. Lacks, a young Black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951, was unintentionally at the heart of scientific history, since her cells, known as HeLa, helped to produce the polio vaccine and therapies for H.I.V.
Dr. Pattillo’s career has been defined by his unwavering commitment to the human face behind these extraordinary cells. He felt a profound sense of obligation to respect Henrietta Lacks’ contributions to science as one of the few Black doctors at the Johns Hopkins lab in the late 1960s, where the HeLa cells were first cultivated.
He moved his mission to the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta at the beginning of the 1990s, where he oversaw the gynecology oncology department and created a residency program. An annual symposium on HeLa cells, with a particular focus on differences in cancer patient survival rates, was started by Dr. Pattillo at Morehouse.
He was able to get the Mayor of Atlanta to formally declare October 11th, the date of the first conference, Henrietta Lacks Day. He was determined to include Lacks’ family in the celebration to honor them for their extraordinary contribution to science.
Dr. Roland Pattilloes cause of death
Roland Pattillo died on May 3, 2023, with Parkinson’s disease being the cause of death.
Dr. Roland Pattilloes obituary
Dr. Roland Anthony Pattillo, who was born in DeQuincy, Louisiana, has devoted his life to medical research and service to others. He was a fervent Catholic and lifelong learner who attended Xavier University in New Orleans before attending St. Louis University Medical School on a full scholarship.
Pattillo conducted significant research, delivered numerous babies, and traveled the world sharing his knowledge while advocating for Henrietta Lacks’ family, the source of the HeLa cell line. His legacy is one of kindness, faith, and the Hippocratic Oath’s pledge to do no harm. Dr. Pattillo’s influence stretched beyond his immediate family, leaving a lasting impression on individuals whose lives he touched via medicine, faith, and love.
Dr. Roland Pattilloes funeral arrangement
The memorial mass was celebrated on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at St. George Catholic Church, situated at 771 Roscoe Rd, Newnan, GA 30263, with Father Stephen Lyness, the Presiding Pastor, and Father Henry Atem, the immediate past pastor.
