I read about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks months ago and requested it from the library; apparently I wasn't the only one! It took months to get here, but it was worth it. This book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor Southern woman who went in to a free clinic to receive treatment for cancer. Her doctors took a sample of her cancer to use in research without her knowledge, which turned out to be the first cells that could stay alive and continue dividing indefinitely. These cells are still used in research and have been important to everything from space travel to the polio vaccine.
The book is fascinating and covers a lot of ground, from what is known of Henrietta's life to the lives of her children and the science and ethics involved in the situation. Her cells have grown into a multimillion dollar industry, none of which is being given to her children; for years, no one even knew Henrietta's name. Later, more research was conducted on her children without them knowing or understanding what was going on.
This book is difficult to read at times because it can be almost overwhelming; there is so much to think over and try to understand. It is well worth the effort, though!
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