The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – Rebecca Skloot

We’ve all heard of HeLa cells.  The most important discovery that has led to cures, discoveries and the overall advancement of modern medicine.  And HeLa is short for Henrietta Lacks.  The provider of these cells which have been bought and sold for billions throughout the medical industry all while her family has lived near poverty levels since the discovery in 1951.

Her cells are one of a kind.  They’re immortal.  Hence their ability to be cultivated and harvested timelessly to allow for unlimited testings and discoveries.  Her cells have been traced to pretty much all vaccines developed since 1951 and they’ve been the catalyst for all cancer research in the past 5 decades.

Henrietta Lacks grew up poor in rural Virginia and died at the age of 31 from cervical cancer.  Her story is told but it’s the harvesting of her cells (without her knowledge) that propels this story.  In addition to the contrast of richness the medical industry has garnered since this theft to the bleak livings of her family even still this day.  That’s the story.

It’s tiring how the rich takes advantage of the poor.  Knowingly.  As much as I love reading books that deal with cell research, I couldn’t separate the lack of knowledge her family had in understanding the contributions HeLa cells are making to the medical industry.  Knowledge is power people.

Piggybacking off of another recent review, I still feel we (Black people) need to continue supporting research but we must be intelligent about it.  Even go as far as patenting your DNA, cells, blood, etc. and not let doctors extract anything from your body without your consent and understanding that you own it all.  Get it in writing!

We can learn from this story.  The good and the bad.