The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was published 2010, written by a journalist named Rebecka Skloot. Skoolt had a slight obsession with Henrietta’s life and from this came one of the best books I’ve read in years. In this novel, Rebecka documents the life, death and afterlife of Mrs. Henrietta Lacks. An African America woman who unknowingly handed over her cells to science and practically saved the world we know today. It all started with a flashback from the first time Henrietta went to Johns Hopkins hospital January 29th in 1951. Prior to her visit she had noticed a strange “knot” within her womb and after several months of discomfort, she had finally decided to visit a doctor. I know that “I told you so” is completely insensitive for a …show more content…
It’s common sense, a strange lump is always a bad sign. Although this particular lump was unique, even to the examining doctor Howard Jones. He described it as “shiny and purple like grape jello”. (Henrietta Lacks, p. 36) That “knot” Henrietta felt inside her was Epidermoid Carcinoma of the cervix and it was at stage I. Now this is where the plot thickens. The doctor administering her radiation treatments was Richard W. TeLinde, of whom was still configuring cures for cervical cancers. Which to me this bit of information suggested that Henrietta was doomed, more than likely to die regardless of how fast or slow her cancer grew. Along with being unsure of how to “cure” cancer. Dr. TeLinde was also incredibly deceitful, he had a habit of using women patients suffering from cervical cancer for his research without first gaining their consent. So when Henrietta walked into his office colored, uneducated and suffering cervical cancer, he took full advantage. She was told to sign a form of consent before getting her first procedure of radiation. Signing this form also meant she was handing over her right to deny the doctor from collecting her specimen