Who else has heard of Hennrietta Lacks?
By bonnie
@bunnybon7 (50970)
Holiday, Florida
March 7, 2011 5:25pm CST
I was just on one of my favorite websites called read it forward that gives away books if you enter their contests. any way, i saw a book on there that im just going to have to read or preferably listen to on audio.
Its called the Immortal Life of Hennrietta Lacks. when i saw it on there, it caught my attention. i love reading true stories. So, i did a search and came up with some very interesting info on this fantastic miraculous woman. and yet i'd never heard of her. her genes/cells have been a great help to science and curing so much illness. its unbelievable, but then as i always say, maybe i just live under a rock and everyone has heard of her but me before
i thought it was so interesting. the woman should have been given a medal instead of living the sad life she lived
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Lacks
this link is some of what i was reading about her. NOT A REFERRAL link. what do you think? have you heard about her?



7 people like this
13 responses
@Hatley (163773)
• Garden Grove, California
8 Mar 11
hi bunnybon I had never heard of her b ut from what I read in wikipedia
I am also fascinated and will try and find a copy of that book
in a nearby library.This is really interesting and fascinating
as its a real life story. My she had a rough life and so sad
too but perhaps she has helped many people which does give
her some immortality. I have heard of read it forward and will
have to see if I would like to join. thanks for the information.

I wonder if anyone has thought
of making that into a movie.it cou ld be a really great movie.



1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


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@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


@AmbiePam (96731)
• United States
7 Mar 11
Yes, I remember when that book first came out and I read so many reviews of it (but until the book I had not heard of her either). What a compelling story. All the reviews were good, and I wanted to read the book. But just reading the synopsis made me angry. Angry on behalf of her family. And right now in my life I don't want to read anything that will fire me up, but still I can't do anything about it. So I've decided to wait, and hopefully someday when it comes out in paperback and it is cheaper, I'll give it a read. I definitely plan to read it someday.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11

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@GardenGerty (162856)
• United States
8 Mar 11
I had recently heard some of this, but I had not remembered the name, only the story. I think someone must have been discussing the book on televisions. It is amazing what a contribution has been made by her cells.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


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@bhanusb (5709)
• India
8 Mar 11
Hi bunny,
there are many unsung heroes. She may be one of them. Today is world Women Day. In a right time you focused on a extraordinary woman. This will encourage the whole women community. Thanks for giving the link.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11



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@jazel_juan (15745)
• Philippines
8 Mar 11
Hennrietta who? honestly i do not know her bunny but thank you for the information and i might look for her book.. i have been wanting to read some good book lately



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@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


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@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
7 Mar 11
I have not heard of Hennrietta until I read your discussion, but I am reading the link and find that she was quite fascinating. I am all for amazing people like she was so I will be reading all about her.
Thanks for sharing. 

@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11

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@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
16 Mar 11



@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
8 Mar 11
Oh, bunnybon, thank you for sharing, and now another book to add to my endless reading list that I never get around to! The only time, that I take time to read, is on the Ferry trip, going to the City. It is an hour and 1/2 ride...so that's my reading time, but I go to town so seldom, it takes me forever with a book, and I usually have to back-read, to bring me back up to speed! I am ashamed to admit, that most of my down-time is spent watching T.V. (I used to be a vociferous reader) as watching T.V. I can accomplish other things, too...like knitting, sewing, stripping furniture...usually am doing something else, when the "tube" is on!
I keep promising myself, this is the year, that I am going to have more "downtime" and relax, and read...I love reading..but, I guilt myself about doing nothing!
It's on my list. Take care...and Cheers!
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


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@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
8 Mar 11
I saw that Law and Order episode and I think the real Lacks family should have some compensation for the theft of Henrietta's cells. This is just outrageous! That people could harvest cells and experiment on a little girl like Elsie without anyone knowing is monstrous. They got away with it because the family was black.
I think the family should sue, just as they did on the TV show.
This does not inspire me, it makes me furious. 

@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11
to bad i didnt find out about her sooner, huh? yes its unbelievable what some have done and never get credit they deserve, much less compensation.

@Graptopetalum (1807)
• Canada
8 Mar 11
I heard of HELA cells when I was at University studying Biochemistry and Genetics. However, I'm fairly sure the lecturer said that they were from a woman called Helen Lang.
I saw a television show about HELA cells a while back. Apparently they have a tendency to invade other cell cultures, actually complicating some cancer research because people were working on HELA cells when they thought it was something else. The scientist who found this out, had his career destroyed by an underhanded trick. I'm not sure if this problem was ever really resolved.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


@serubhai1 (203)
• India
10 Mar 11
Never heard of her!
Sorry- but will try to get an idea of this woman now!
Sorry bunnybon!!
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
10 Mar 11


