Returning the Favor

After reading the book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, many wonder how the descendants of Henrietta are doing today and how will anyone ever repay Henrietta for what her cells have done for science.

The recent The New York Times article, “Returning the Blessings of an Immortal Life”, provides more information about Skloot’s Henrietta Lacks foundation for the Lackses and about the family. For example, a portion of the foundation has gone towards a high-tech hearing aid for Henrietta’s son and braces for her great-granddaughter. The money is also going towards things like books and tuition that the family would otherwise not be able to afford, which is ironic considering Henrietta’s cells have led to a multi-million dollar industry. The article goes on to say that an HBO film based on the book is in progress in which Henrietta’s three sons have been hired as consultants.

To learn more about the Henrietta Lacks Foundation, the Lackses, and the fascinating HeLa story, click on the above article link.

Jessica Waala
Undergraduate Student