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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks . By Rebecca Skloot . 2010. Crown

Publishing. (ISBN 9781400052172). 384 pages. Hardcover. $26.00.

Article  in  The American Biology Teacher · November 2010

DOI: 10.1525/abt.2010.72.9.13.d

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. By Rebecca Skloot 2010. Crown Publishing.
(ISBN 978-1400052172). 384 pp. Hardcover. $26.00

If you want to bring science reading into your classroom and show why an understanding
of science is needed by everyone and why scientists need to be aware that there is more
to life than just science, then the “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca
Skloot should be a first read. This is an important book for the understanding of science
in American History. It brings to light some of the debate over access to health care and
access as well as policies within the scientific community.

The book is about the cancer cells removed in 1951 from Henrietta Lacks, a mother of
five living in Baltimore, by doctors from Johns Hopkins. During the initial diagnosis and
before the treatment of the cancer, samples of cancerous tissues were removed from her
cervix. These cells were grown in a lab by Dr. George Gey, the attending physician and
researcher, and eventually labeled HeLa cells after Mrs. Lacks name. This was done
without the permission of Henrietta or the Lacks family. Nor was it done out of the
common practice of the day. The taking of tissues during biopsies was a common
practice, especially within research hospitals. HeLa cells have continued to be grown and
cultured in tubes and plates around the world and studied by some of the most legendary
scientist as well as many of the students taking biology today. HeLa studies contributed
to some fantastic scientific discoveries such as the development of the polio vaccine,
medicines used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and the treatment of cancer and
the discovery of telomerase. They have even been sent into space for study and have
been so prolific that they have contaminated cell cultures worldwide. Over 50 million
tons of these cells have been grown and studied.

The book follows three different story lines. First is the life of Henrietta Lacks and her
family both past and present. The life of poor African Americans in the 40s through the
21st century in light of medicine is skillfully addressed. Second, the development of the
HeLa cell line and its use in the scientific community is presented; cells that seem to have
a life of their own and have literally traveled around the world. The cells were and still
are so prolific that most scientists were in “scientific” denial or arrogance of the cells’
ability to propagate. Third and possibly the most important, is the bioethical issues
surrounding the development of the HeLa cell line. Rebecca Skloot does a masterful job
of addressing the past practice of non-disclosure of medical information to patients. She
highlights well the suspicious view of medical profession by African Americans after the
Tuskegee syphilis studies of the late 40s, and how often they felt that they were the test
subjects for many untested or experimental procedures. In Deborah Lacks (Dale) own
words, "If our mother cells done so much for medicine, how come her family can't afford
to see no doctors?" The laws, both past and current, surrounding scientific research are
addressed in a way which removes science from the lab bench and puts it in front of the
judiciary bench. Yet even Deborah’s own words warn us of letting one side dictate the
other, “Truth be told, I can’t get mad at science, because it help people live, and I’d be a
mess without it. I’m a walking drugstore!” Ms. Skloot helps to expose to the reader the
need for both science and ethics, and a need for both to work well together. Are your
students willing to look honestly into this issue the same way that the Lacks family has
 had to address this too?

Rebecca Skloot’s writing is highly respectful of the Lacks and the people she meets as
well as the science and the people of science she represents. She shows how scientists
like Christoph Lengauer help to bridge the gap between the research world and the people
whose lives were personally touched by the cancer. His personal respect for the patient
was pivotal in helping to bring the story to completion.

Even thought the switching of the story line from science to culture, from past to present,
from writing the story to living the story can be somewhat distracting, I would rate this
book a five frog, a must read for you this year and a must read for your students.

Dr. John M. Moore,

Professor of Biology & Director of Cuenca Ecuador Centre
Taylor University
Department of Biology
236 W. Reade Avenue
Upland IN 46989-1001
jhmoore@taylor.edu

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