Let's just consider the story: Henrietta Lacks

Hi Readers,

While reading the book on my iPad I am able to make notes, highlight, and bookmark passages from each book.  The following are some of my notes and why I marked them. Quotes are in red - my comments in black.

Cliff was showing Rebecca around the cemetery where many graves were unmarked.  'Used to be we'd mark them graves with a rock so we could find em, " Cliff told me. But the cemetery got cleaned out one time with a bulldozer so that pretty much cleared those rocks on away.  First off this reminded me of my grandfather's bones which lie somewhere unknown.  The cemetery was moved.  Then it seemed so sweet that still Cliff knew his ancestors were buried there and it was important to him.


As HeLa grew like crabgrass in laboratories around the world a virologist named Chester Southam had a frightening thought: what if Henrietta's cancer cells could infect the scientists working on them?   Then again why couldn't they infect humanity in an adverse way and what if we really aren't in control of experimental biologic elements?   What if these errant cells take over humanity?

There is a quote from a magazine Science 85 which we subscribed to although I remember every years it changed it's name to include the year.  I remember it back when it was called Science '79.  I got a chuckle out of that since we quote that magazine sometimes to each other.


The debate over the commercialization of human biological materials always comes back to one fundamental point" like it or not, we live in a market driven society and science is part of that market.    If a company and their research teams can't make money they won't do the research so is there a need for national research?  Then that cuts off the free market.  Deeply intriguing questions without good answers for me.  I think this is what is described as a conundrum?

And two questions from the study guide:
#6 This is a story with many layers .....  It certainly is an one that will challenge my thoughts for many years to come.
#11  Deborah says, ' but i always have thought it was strange, if our mather cells done so much for medicine, how come her family can't afford to see no doctors?  Don't make no sense."  Yeah, so much of this story don't make sense when it comes to the humanity of it but then there is the science of it and it's all twisted and turned - like cancer cells.....


Happy Reading til next time,
Barbara

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Revisited

Hello Readers,

In searching out some discussion questions for this book I am constantly confronted with the moral questions that face everyone.
           Was Henrietta treated differently because she was black, a woman, from the south, etc.?
           Was it wrong for Gey to pass on her cells for research to further advance science?
           Was the Lacks family treated poorly because they were black, poor, etc.?
Etc., etc., etc.

We can all sit here in 2012 and judge what happened in the 1950's but that is the way it was.  Bio-ethics is such an important part of our world today.  Just consider how many times you are sent and given privacy notices from doctors, banks, credit card accounts, etc.  If anyone wants to comment on the ethical questions in this book, please do.  There was an article online about the following organization while I was reading this book and it gave me great and little concern. Little if I don't really think too hard about the entire concept  - great when it comes to our bodies, property, national security.


Kopimi, an anti-copyright initiative developed by the Piratbyrån, a Swedish organization actively opposing modern copyright law and practices, and the previous operators of BitTorrent tracker The Pirate Bay, before it was spun off as an independent organization.
  Find more information at:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-copyright

I will have more to say in the coming days about the story of Henrietta Lacks.  In the meantime, have a wonderful day.

Happy Reading,
Barbara

Book of the Month - MAY

May-be you'll read the Book of the Month for May!
May-be you are stuck in a rut and need something new to read.
May-be you need to be jostled from your usual readings?
May-be you are overwhelmed with reading other things?
May-be you are too busy?
May-be you can take some time out of everyday for reading.
May-be you'll give our May Book of the Month a try.

The Color of Water by James McBride

If you open this link you can listen to some very nice Jazz by McBride while reading!
http://www.jamesmcbride.com/

Thank you so much Jen for getting back to me about those book suggestions.  Technology is great but sometimes it gets in my way.  I could have lost the piece of paper, too!

Happy Reading,
Barbara