“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;”>Best-selling author Rebecca Skloot’s book
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks a poor black woman whose cells were used for medical research without her knowledge or permission is a riveting read that is being taught in history and ethics classes. Now it will be the topic of public discussion 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1 at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>“Henrietta’s Ghost” will be a panel discussion of race, ethics and medicine in American history. The idea started from a book club hosted by Lorry Blath, who wanted the story of Henrietta Lacks to become the topic of public discussion. Blath secured 50 copies of the book that have been distributed to the public for the upcoming discussion.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Sowandé Mustakeem, professor of African Studies at Washington University Assistant, will moderate the discussion which will include Iris A. Malone, a clinical trial analyst, and Dr. Ira Kodner, a medical ethicist at Washington University.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>“There is a lot of conversation about this book,” Mustakeem said. “Everyday people should be able to get access to this story.”
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>She also wants the broader community to dialogue and ask questions.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>“We want to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Mustakeem said, of the unlicensed use of Lacks’ tissue in research. “Perhaps dispelling some myths and really being able to have a deep conversation around this.”
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Lacks was a 31-year-old mother of five who died of cervical cancer on October 4, 1951 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. While her disease was a devastating tragedy for her family, her cells became a profitable marvel of medicine.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Cells taken from her tumor while she was undergoing surgery – dubbed HeLa cells (the first two letters of her first and last name) – have been responsible for many important medical advances. Cancer cells taken from Lacks’ body without her knowledge or her permission became the world’s first replicating human cell line. In her book, Skloot writes that HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; studying cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; and making important advances with in vitro fertilization, cloning and gene mapping. They also have “been bought and sold by the billions,” Skloot writes, though Lacks’ descendents did not benefit from the commercial use of her tissue.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>The fame of her cancer cells are juxtaposed to her obscurity. It took 20 years before her family learned her cells existed, and the contribution of Henrietta Lacks remained unknown until Skloot published her book in February 2010 and took it on the road for a blockbuster reading tour. Lacks was buried in an unmarked grave in Clover, Va. until Dr. Roland Pattillo of Morehouse School of Medicine donated a headstone last May after reading Skloot’s book.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>The March 1 Henrietta’s Ghost panel discussion is a preview to another Missouri History Museum event three weeks later on Wednesday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m., when Skloot herself visits St. Louis.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>For more information on both events, visit mohistory.org.
