Comments on: Immortal Cells; Moral Issues

By: Boothe Davis

Boothe Davis — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:56:07 +0000

The Balt Sun link provided does not get you to the Op-Ed piece mentioned. Here is a better link. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.lacks12feb12,0,7465550.story

By: Dan Walter

Dan Walter — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:00:26 +0000

Things have not changed at Johns Hopkins: http://adventuresincardiology.com

By: Mark F.

Mark F. — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:21:21 +0000

Nice job on Stephen Colbert last night. Loved the Centipede cells. Also I enjoyed the audiobook version of your book very much. A well done production.

By: A.Kager

A.Kager — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:17:34 +0000

I too came across previews for this book while researching Pubmed and NIH articles in the hopes of researching a rare and aggressive cancer that took my own mother and the potential links to my own illness. I am a passionate advocate of tolerance and hold a BA in Math and Science.
I knew I must have this book. After two weeks of searching
(all the local book stores were sold out), a dear friend at a publishing company got a hold of one for me.
When I received it, I literally devoured the contents in less than 24 hours. Brilliantly written with compassion, honesty and an understanding of not just science but the human soul. As someone who understands, intimately, the complex world of medicine and research studies and how a lack of educational exposure and understanding leaves an individual powerless, I applaud efforts for setting up an educational fund to the family members who remain. A final thank you to Henrietta who continues to save lives.

By: Susan Boyes

Susan Boyes — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:05:26 +0000

I heard your interview with Terry Gross on WHYY’s “Fresh Air” a short time ago and I was fascinated by the subject. Ordered the book up from the local library and waited for my turn to read it. Sat down this weekend and devoured it like it was a thriller. It is. Thank you for your balanced treatment of these complicated relationship, social-political, educational, ethical, and scientific issues. What a wonderful piece of work.

By: Cecilia Saad

Cecilia Saad — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:09:50 +0000

I saw you speak at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, DC recently. You have really done something here. You opened a door to a dialogue that’s long overdue. You have told a very important story. You have touched a family and in the process many, many people. I wish you well and will not be surprised when you to win the Pulitzer Prize. I just know it.

By: David Elpern

David Elpern — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:00:37 +0000

I enjoyed reading your book and it has given me much pause for thought. Strangely, I only found your blog when I was looking up “Patient Narratives” on PubMed and I came upon a recent article about your father, Floyd. That led me to his web page and on that a link to yours. “There are no accidents, there are only appointments.”
Your book would be perfect for the kinds of programs that many colleges have where the entire community reads one book and discusses it over a month or so. Are any doing that now? I will see if there is interest here at Williams. I teach a course in Medical Humanities occasionally here (I am a local physician).
The Op-Ed author rightly says, “As the new book ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ reminds us, behind every biological sample is a human being.” Osler is famously, but erroneously quoted as saying, “It is more important to treat the patient who has the disease, than the disease the patient has.” (It was probably Maimonides, but may go back even further). Similarly, exploring Henrietta Lacks life and the fates of her relatives turns out to be more important than just focusing on the science (to me at least). Beyond health care, there are unnatural causes for illness which are rooted in societal inequities. These determine how we are sick and how we are well. These are difficult to escape and your moving narrative of HeLa’s children exemplifies that. “Dale” would be alive and well today had she not been poor and black and second class in the Baltimore of her youth. This so-called “health care” we are all debating will not reverse the forces that make us ill or allow us to be “well.”

By: David Elpern

David Elpern — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:57:56 +0000

I enjoyed reading your book and it has given me much pause for thought. Strangely, I only found your blog when I was looking up “Patient Narratives” on PubMed and I came upon a recent article about your father, Floyd. That led me to his web page and on that a link to yours. “There are no accidents, there are only appointments.”
Your book would be perfect for the kinds of programs that many colleges have where the entire community reads one book and discusses it over a month or so. Are any doing that now? I will see if there is interest here at Williams. I teach a course in Medical Humanities occasionally here (I am a local physician).
The Op-Ed author rightly says, “As the new book ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ reminds us, behind every biological sample is a human being.” Osler is famously, but erroneously quoted as saying, “It is more important to treat the patient who has the disease, than the disease the patient has.” (It was probably Maimonides, but may go back even further). Similarly, exploring Henrietta Lacks’s life and the fates of her relatives turns out to be more important than just focusing on the science (to me at least). Beyond health care, there are unnatural causes for illness which are rooted in societal inequities. These determine how we are sick and how we are well. These are difficult to escape and your moving narrative of HeLa’s children exemplifies that. “Dale” would be alive and well today had she not been poor and black and second class in the Baltimore of her youth. This so-called “health care” we are all debating will not reverse the forces that make us ill or allow us to be “well.”

By: C. Meyer, RN, MSN, CEN

C. Meyer, RN, MSN, CEN — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:29:01 +0000

I applaud the strength and determination it took to bring forward the story of Henrietta Lacks and the difficulties her family has faced throughout the years. As a health care professional I find ethics one of the hardest parts of my job. I can only hope that bringing this story to life will humanize research efforts and offer real consent to many of the ongoing and future research projects. We are forever indebted to the cells of Henrietta Lacks and the medical advances she has offered the international medical community. I look to share this story in hopes of championing for the medically underserved and those at risk of being taken advantage of for the sake of research. Thank you for such a quality text – I hope the story inspires ethical research practice and the respect for Ms. Lacks she deserves.
C. Meyer, RN, MSN, CEN

By: jo

jo — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:56:40 +0000

I am so loving your book–about 70% finished with it. The parts about your time with Deborah make me laugh out loud at times. What a great and difficult time you must have had writing this book!
Thanks, JO