The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Young Adult Edition by Gregory Mone

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Young Adult Edition Reviews

• 
  Dongmei Li

  A fascinating story! But I am still confused by some questions 1) why her cell are so strong and can reproduce so quickly? 2) if her cells are so special, then are all the medical researches against it applied to normal people? I didn't found good answers from the book. But it's great to know the story of this amazing cell that changed the medical world and contributed to so many vaccines and medicines.
• 
  Charity Mack

  Henrietta Lacks, born as Loretta Pleasant in Roanoke, Virginia, on August 1, 1920- Died October 4, 1951
  October 11th Henrietta Lacks Day
  
  In recognition of Henrietta Lacks & the Lackses for their mother’s contribution to the field of science in regards to the HeLa cells:
  THIS BOOK SHOULD BE A REQUIRED READING FOR ALL MED STUDENTS
  
  1. “ since they gone ahead and taken her cells, and they been so important for science, Deborah thought, at least they can do is give her credit for it.”
  
  Contributions Henrietta’s Lacks , HeLa cells have made in the name of science:
  Vaccinating girls against (HPV-cervical cancer)
  Eradicating Polio
  spontaneous transformation
  The first standardize culture medium
  Mapping the human genome
  Creating the field of virology
  Space orbit: Discoverer XVIII satellite 1960
  Effective Chemo Drugs: Vincristine & Taxol
  1st human -animal hybrid cells 1965
  Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
  
  FAVORITE QUOTES:
  1. We miss you, Mama… I think of you all the time and wish I could see and hold you in my arms, like I know you held me. My father said that you told him on your dying bed to take care of Deborah. Thank you, Ma, we will see you again someday. We read what we can and try to understand. My mind often wonder how things might would be if God had you stay here with me…. I keep with me all I know about you, deep in my soul, because I am part of you, and you are me. We love you, Mama.
  
  2. “You know what’s weird? The world got more pictures of my mother cells than it do of her. I guess that’s why nobody knows who she is. Only thing left of her is them cells”
  
  3. “Everybody always saying Henrietta Lacks donated those cells. She didn’t donate nothing. They took them and didn’t ask...What really would upset Henrietta is the fact that Dr. Gey never told the family anything—we didn’t know nothing about those cells and he didn’t care.”
  
  4. We all black and white and everything else—this isn’t a race thing. There’s two sides to the story, and that’s what we want to bring out. Nothing about my mother is truth if it’s about wantin to fry the researchers. It’s not about punish the doctors or slander the hospital. I don’t want that.”
  
  5. “Yeah , Hopkins pretty much screwed up, I think, Christopher said. Deborah bolted up right, and looked at him, stunned to hear a scientist - one at Hopkins, no less-saying such a thing. Then she looked back into the microscope and said, John Hopkins is a school for learning, and that’s important. But this is my mother. Nobody seem to get that”
  
  6. I don’t know how I’m going to go ?”, she said. “ I just hope it’s nice and calm. But I’ll tell you one thing, I don’t want to be immortal if it means, living forever, because then everybody else just die and get old right front of you while you stay the same, and that’s just sad.” Then she smiled. “ but maybe I’ll come back and some HeLa cells like my mother, that way we can do good together out there in the world.” She paused, and nodded again . “ I think I’d like that.”
  
  My mother Fawn Elaine Dobson born July 03, 1956 -Died January 29, 2014 from complication due to colon cancer. I decided to read this book in memory of those who have lost loved ones to such an unforgiving disease. My sincerest condolences to the Lacks family, and the loss of their mother
• 
  Dorinda

  This book draws you in with the family history of Hela as well as the history of scientific advancements related to research. Both positive and negative research. Perfect balance of science with the development of real life characters.
• 
  Maggie

  The story of an African American woman who died of cancer in the 1960s. They took cell samples of her tumor and these cells are still living today in laboratories all around the world. The family never knew that they had used her cells and this story follows there sad search for answers.
• 
  Connie Griessen

  Abandoned
• 
  Judi Valentine

  Mind blowing!
• 
  Arlene Castaneda

  Great book.
• 
  Ginger Williams

  As always, truth is stranger than fiction. An unknown poor black woman dies a painful death of cervical cancer in the 50's and her cells go on to flourish around the world and figure in some of the most important medical research ever.
  
  The author weaves 3 strands together: the scientific, the personal lives of Ms. Lacks and her family, and what happened to the author in the writing of this book. The third strand was just as fascinating as the other two in showing the challenges of writing a book.
  
  I'd give it 5 stars except it was a bit too long and could've stood for some judicious editing.
• 
  Veronika St

  A must read non fiction book. If you only watched the movie, you don't know the real story. The movie is great but they skipped one of the most important part - science. This book helps readers understand the difference between how ordinary people observe issues and how scientists make decisions to find solutions to problems. The book discussed a lot of questions: morals, ethics, science, soul.
  This book changed the way I read and look at scientific discoveries.
  Highly recommended.
• 
  Corinne

  I found it fascinating.
• 
  Bev Kaplan

  Great story about how Henrietta Laks's genes was used illegally.