Henrietta Lacks' story is one of great importance and deserves the attention of society. She had medical samples taken without her consent, and these samples lead to breakthroughs in the medical field beyond many people's imaginations. Her contribution, although greatly appreciated, was not willingly given. She contributed what could be valued at hundreds of millions of dollars worth of medication and cures, yet her family continues to live in poverty without access to good medical care themselves. Her story is one the public needs to be made aware of and learn about in today’s society. People have certain natural and written rights, and the right to ones own body certainly falls into those categories. Rebecca Skloot tells the story of Henrietta Lacks in her book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and tries to educate people of the process Henrietta went through and what her family still struggles with to this day.
I am sure that many people do not understand thoroughly the true depth and significance of Henrietta’s story. I am sure some people think it was ok for the samples to be taken, and others believe that what was done was unethical. The process of describing this difficult topic was undoubtedly challenging for Skloot. She had to encompass both sides of the story, while also trying to stick to the facts. In writing she most likely came across difficult wordings in trying to describe situations in a way that most, if not all, readers would be able to comprehend. I think that all educated people should be able to understand what she is describing in her book, and that even those not quite as literate would be able to follow along. I look forward to reading her book myself, and do not anticipate too much difficulty in comprehending the content.
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