The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is written by Rebecca Skloot and it has proved to be a very fascinating and educational book. From the beginning I was amazed by how medical practices happened in the early 1900’s. I knew they weren’t what they are now, but to have radiation treatments that turned your skin black sounds terrifying. This book taught me how important this woman’s cells were and how important it is to make sure you get consent. Henrietta married her cousin David Lacks and together they had five children. Her husband was not a loyal man which caused Henrietta to come in contact with some sexually transmitted diseases. After having their fourth child Deborah, Henrietta thought something was wrong with her, and then soon after she was pregnant with the fifth child. She knew it was something other than being pregnant that was wrong with and after having her last kid she found evidence that it was something other than being pregnant. So Henrietta went to the hospital where the doctor found a lump

After eight months of treatment and excruciating pain from the tumors that kept appearing everywhere, Henrietta passed away. During that time scientists were developing a factory to mass produce her cells. As new developments with her cells kept occurring, her family was oblivious to it all until one day when Bobette, Henrietta's daughter in-law, ran into someone who shed some light on the subject. A brother of a friend unveiled how Bobette’s mother in-law’s cells were in his lab right now being tested for different things. Bobette then told the family which made Deborah, Henrietta’s daughter ver curious and worried about what they were doing. So the book goes on to tell what obstacles and encounters that Deborah and the author had. Everything from how consent wasn’t a concern back in the day to some of the Lacks being able to Henrietta’s cells in