Henrietta Lacks' Family Speaks Out

Bridgewater State University selected The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for their One Book, One Community project this year and are hosting the Lacks family on Saturday, October 4, 2014 from 11 AM to 1 PM at the Horace Mann Auditorium at BSU. This panel discussion is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

This book by Rebecca Skloot is a fascinating story. The information on the BSU event flyer tells us:

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells--taken without her knowledge in 1951--became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mappiong, in vitro fertilization, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown.

BSU's invitation continues:

Hear a first-hand account from her family of her life and death, and the ethical dilemma they faced.

If you have read this book, please share your impressions in the comments. I will post again after I have attended the event. Hope to see you there!