Today we held a virtual science fair for WhyMommy, who had (hopefully successful!) surgery to remove more tumors for inflammatory breast cancer.
During one of her pre-surgery posts, Susan wrote, "As the six tumors are removed from my body, they will be flash frozen in vials designed to keep them usable by scientists and medical researchers. The doctors will use what they need for me, and then the rest will be sent to the IBC Biobank for future research or out for the Target Now Complete testing, one of the first to look at molecular markers that may indicate additional options for my treatment. "
Ironically enough, one of my favorite recent reads surrounds a woman whose "destiny" came from having pieces of tumor taken from her.
For those science-y types out there, you no doubt recognize "HeLa cells." We used HeLa in high school bio. We used HeLa in college bio and genetics. We used HeLa in grad school for a multitude of different courses and reasons.
I was intimately acquainted with HeLa cells. But until about a month ago, I had no idea who was truly behind HeLa. Her name was Henrietta Lacks, and her story is phenomenal.
I purchased The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and became glued to my kindle. Her story is amazing from personal, scientific, ethical, socioeconomic, and medical perspectives.
Henrietta Lacks had cervical cancer. Doctors took a section of her tumor (as they are doing with Susan!) and successfully created the first immortal cell line. These cells have been used for endless research, effectively leading to countless scientific breakthroughs, resulting in better medical care for a multitude of diseases. This in itself is amazing.
But unfortunately, Henrietta Lacks and her family didn't know that her cells were being used for this purpose. As her cells made researchers money, her family continued to suffer in poverty. Meanwhile, other people have successfully received compensation for their unique tissues. Indeed, the issue of biomedical ethics is complex, and I won't even attempt to discuss it here. But The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks brings up many angles of the debate and is definitely a thought-provoking read.
Henrietta Lacks' family doesn't have health insurance. And thus, it is ironic that they cannot receive the care that their mother-aunt-grandmother helped to create.
The ethics are mind-boggling. Henrietta's story is amazing. Author Rebecca Skloot's story for how she got to know Henrietta Lacks' decedents is a tale in itself.
Even for those of you out there who hate science, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is an enjoyable read. I really recommend it.
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Disclaimer: The links to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks include an Amazon affiliate code, so I'll get a few cents if you happen to purchase anything after clicking that link. I purchased the kindle edition of this book on my own dollar. Nobody asked me to review this book, nor did they tip me off that I might like it. I just happened to see a write-up in Entertainment Weekly and was intrigued. I will receive no prize, compensation, or anything of that nature for posting a favorable review. This book just happened to really "hit" me in a way that made me feel I should pass on my endorsement to you awesome readers.
