Henrietta's Immortal Legacy
HeLa Cells
Like Mollie and Liz, I was captivated by the story of HeLa. It is hard to believe all the amazing things born of Henrietta Lacks' cells. Scientists would not have been able to make many of the discoveries in medicine that HeLa made possible if not for the use of her cell line. It is difficult to think about the fact that her family didn't know anything about it for more than 20 years. Your heart truly goes out to her family and to Henrietta herself, who died under horrific circumstances.
HeLa Cells
HeLa Cells
I thought the medical story of the HeLa cell line was so fascinating, I really wished the book had focused on that. I enjoyed the story about Henrietta's family, but I felt that the author's story got off track while she was writing about the myriad trials of the Lacks family. I felt like the bulk of the book should have been detailing the amazing discoveries made possible by HeLa. This story is a great example of human ingenuity and invention and it honors Henrietta's sacrifice and death.
This book also brought up the ethical dilemma posed by the use of people's cells in research. I'm not sure what the solution is, but it does seem unfair that pharmaceutical companies make millions off of the discoveries, while the people who furnished them with their cells sometimes can't afford health insurance. I think the true injustice is more about our society and what it values more than anything else. People talk about the triumphs of capitalism and the marvels of modern medicine, but what does it say when most people can't afford the medicine or treatment they need to live? The Lacks family is a perfect example of how people are failed by the system we live in. What is so scary to people about universal health care when it means that everyone has the basic right to take care of their health and the health of their children? Something is truly broken when the treatments are available, but people can't access them or afford them. I think that scientists should be able to use people's tissues and cells if it means they can make medicine to help people in the long run. However, I also believe that it is a basic human right that those same people should have access to health care when they need it.
The Norse Underworld Goddess, Hela
