The book that I have chosen to read for my book assignment is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Sklott. The first word that comes to mind when I think of after reading this novel is deceived. I think about that when reading how the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore deceived Henrietta Lacks by profiting off her tissue sample. The story began talking about an African American woman, Henrietta Lacks, whose cancer cells were used for experimentation to create an immortal cell line. In 1951, Henrietta went to the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to do a check-up on her cervix. Later after she was treated, the doctor diagnosed her with cervical cancer. After being treated for her tumor, during the procedure, a substantial amount of her tissue that was removed had been taken. I say taken because Henrietta did not consent to anyone to have her tissue cells grown inside some tubes in a laboratory. The head of the tissue department at the hospital, George Grey, without consent had begun experimenting on the newly acquired tissue cell and had a breakthrough. After years of experimenting to have cells divide continuously and infinitely, they had their one. Henrietta who was battling the cancer was not even informed after the breakthrough had happened. After the trials of radiation and treatments, Henrietta died at a young age. She left behind a husband and fiv
e children who were poor and uninvolved with the community. A tragedy it was but her name was to become famous even though she had passed away. The family was never informed of the breakthrough in the science lab even after she died which raised questions. From a reader perspective the first thing that came in my head was the hospital only wanted to profit off the cells. None of the money gained was ever given to the family who was going through a rough patch when Henrietta died. One of the daughters encountered Henriettas cells which were called HeLa cells at the National Cancer Institute. This was such a turning point in the story because the family finally found out about cells that were still alive which belongs to Henrietta. The feelings felt were definitely exploited because the hospital was profiting from their mothers cells while they were still living a poor lifestyle and could not afford any medical insurance. This is unethical and atrocious because the family was deprived of any financial gains and the truth of Henrietta. After years of inexistence to the success of the first immortal human cell line, Henrietta was finally recognized. Rebecca Skloot was able to help Deborah Lacks to identify her mother and how her cells were able to lead to medical breakthroughs. This womans silent impact was able to change the lives of many and medical treatments forever.