The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a compelling, absorbing, and fascinating book that tells the true story of a poor African-American tobacco farmer from Virginia whose cells would eventually turn into the epochal advancement in the medical world. The name of the woman in the story is Henrietta Lacks and she unknowingly played a pivotal role in scientific progression after her doctor at John Hopkins Hospital removed cancerous cells from her body. The cells that were taken from Henrietta were then grown in a laboratory and eventually came to be known as HeLa cells. HeLa cells provided an unprecedented contribution to medical and genetic research and are still used to this day.

The story begins when Henrietta is diagnosed with cervical cancer. In 1951, doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital removed small samples of her tumor and sent them to a laboratory at a nearby university. Unknown to Henrietta at the time, these cells were able to reproduce in a lab, whereas normal cells die after divide a few times. Thus, Henrietta’s cells were the first human cells to be immortalized, allowing for the infinite possibilities of scientific progress.

For years, scientists and researchers used Henrietta’s cells for medical experiments and advancements in genetics, vaccine therapies, and in vitro fertilization. Amazingly, the cells from Henrietta are still used to this day and are even manufactured in factories meant solely to produce HeLa cells. Magnetic resonance imaging, chemotherapy, and cloning are all possible due to the advances made with HeLa cells. In a sad twist, due to the use of her cells Henrietta would never profit nor would her family benefit financially from the immortality of her cells.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks dives into the many facets of her story. It explores the ethical, racial and moral implications of the events that unfolded due to the usage of her cells. The story also touches on the questions of scientific advancement and its responsibility to those involved.

Skloot also tells the story of Henrietta’s family and how her four children were affected by her death. We also learn about how her husband Day was pressured by white doctors never compensated for the experimental usage of his wife’s cells.

For years, secrets about the identity of Henrietta’s cells were kept from her family, until in 1983, her daughter Deborah Lacks sought out the help of a scientist in her quest to learn more about her mother. The search for answers eventually led Rebecca Skloot, the author, to write this fantastic book about Henrietta and her family.

This captivating story chronicles the everlasting impact of Henrietta’s cells on modern day science and its implications. It is a rare and remarkable account that brings to life the woman whose cells saved millions of lives, yet she and her family were never given proper recognition or compensation. Rebecca Skloot’s engaging and thought-provoking book is a must-read for science and medical buffs, as well as anyone interested in the history of medical breakthroughs.