The pivotal aspect of this story is the way Henrietta’s cells were given without permission which then became one of the most remarkable breakthroughs in modern medicine. Doctors found that Henrietta’s cells were growing in a phenomenal way, and they were able to conduct experiments that weren’t previously possible. The family never knew what was happening at the time. After she died, more cells were taken from her corpse. While the mother of 5 was undergoing treatment as Johns Hopkins University in 1951 (one of the few hospitals that would even treat black patients at the time), a sample of her cells were taken form her tumor and her cervix without consent and used for medical trials. ‘Henrietta Lacks’ tells the story of a young, poor black woman who died at the age of 31 from cervical cancer. Over the past couple of years we’ve seen documentaries and films such as ‘Loving’, ‘Selma’, ‘The 13th’, ‘I am Not Your Negro’, and now ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ provide us with enough information to keep us angry and frustrated, and enough history to show that dialog is vital, and these profound pieces of American history can help provide a road map for the future. But this is where history can play an important role in keeping us motivated to stay the course. We totally understand that barely 100+ days into the clown show that is the Trump administration, you may be starting to get a little #resistance fatigue, and feel powerless in the face of such opposition. And if you don’t have time to sit down and read it in full, Audible’s 30 day free trial means you can download and listen to the audiobook while you go about the rest of your day. While the movie shows Rebecca’s journey to unearthing the story of Henrietta and the often fraught relationship she formed with the rest of the Lacks family during this time, it is well getting to know her actual book to fully understand why the life of Henrietta Lacks is so important today. A story that has literally changed the face of modern medicine and science, the origins of which have largely been hidden from mainstream society for decades, until now. It recounts the true story of how medical journalist and author Rebecca Skloot (played by Byrne) tracks down Henrietta’s daughter Deborah in order to write the profound story of what her mother went through. By now you may have already seen ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ movie made by HBO, starring Oprah Winfrey, Rose Byrne, and Renee Elise Goldsberry.
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