The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

[Tank]

Today I finished reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

It is the story of Henrietta Lacks (August 1, 1920 – October 4, 1951) and what happened to her after she died.

Henrietta would normally have been born, lived, died and then mostly been forgotten, except for the fact that she is still 'alive', not in the spiritual sense but in the very real sense that the immortal cell line she unknowingly spawned lives in laboratories all across the world. In fact you can buy some here for $279.

The book is well written, informative and sensitive but pulls no punches in the delivery of the story of Henrietta and the effect her death from cervical cancer had on her, her family and the world of medical reasearch and ethics.

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance.

The book gives an insight into the endemic racism prevalent in the 1950's USA, the attitude of the medical profession in that era and the changes that have come about as a direct result of the treatment of Henrietta. It makes tough reading at times with many examples of behaviour that today would be considered illegal; if not downright evil.

It is a book that everybody should read not only because it is a seminal work on the subject matter but because it gives an insight into the past that everybody should be aware of.

[KingPhilip]

I read an article on her not too long ago, it's truly incredible how some of the greatest and most useful discoveries in medical history have been absolute luck. I also find it a tragedy that she and her family have gone without a wider recognition.

Will definitely pick up the book soon.

[McQ]

Thanks for the recommendation. I also heard something vague about this recently, but never thought about it until now.

Looks like this will be going to the top of my reading list. It sounds gripping and as if it screams to be read.

[Tank]

Definitly a page turner and a classic example of 'truth is stranger than fiction'. A side story is that the author is not Christian but the Lacks family is all very Christian, except the one who converted to Islam while in prison!

[KingPhilip]

Oh my, I wonder how that went over with the family. I honestly can't think of more than two or three people in my entire Christian family who would be accepting of someone converting to Islam.

[Sweetdeath]

People convert to islam in prison? Seriously?


Back topic:  I really find this intetesting.  It's sad to think this happens all the time; people using others and taking credit for their work.

[Stevil]

People convert to islam in prison? Seriously?


Back topic:  I really find this intetesting.  It's sad to think this happens all the time; people using others and taking credit for their work.

I'm sure people convert to whatever, where ever. I don't really think there are many places immune although for many the exact moment of conversion is probably not known. Its a process rather than an event.

Anyhooo, I think I'll try and hunt down this book.

[Tank]

People convert to islam in prison? Seriously?

Joe, one of Henrietta's, sons converted and there is no evidence of animosity from anybody in the family.

Back topic:  I really find this intetesting.  It's sad to think this happens all the time; people using others and taking credit for their work.

You'll find no such issue when you read the book, exploitation yes, but no 'credit taking' as such. The thing you have to keep in mind while reading this is that a foreign country isn't necessarily a place separated by distance and borders, it can equally be a place separated by time and culture.

[Tank]

Oh my, I wonder how that went over with the family. I honestly can't think of more than two or three people in my entire Christian family who would be accepting of someone converting to Islam.

It didn't seem to cause a problem within the family.

[Tank]

People convert to islam in prison? Seriously?


Back topic:  I really find this intetesting.  It's sad to think this happens all the time; people using others and taking credit for their work.

I'm sure people convert to whatever, where ever. I don't really think there are many places immune although for many the exact moment of conversion is probably not known. Its a process rather than an event.

Anyhooo, I think I'll try and hunt down this book.

The story of Henrietta, her cell line and her family is the core of the narrative, but along side is the journey that Skloot (the author) took to write it and that's another story worthy of a book tacked on for free.

[Tank]

Bump for n00bs.

I also got a reply from the author to my email