Local Women to Discuss 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks'

The North Fulton Branch of the American Association of University Women will discuss "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks," Saturday, March 10.

Once a year, the association takes time from its regular monthly meeting to discuss a book. This year it is the New York Times best seller by Rebecca Skloot about an African-American woman with cervical cancer who had cells taken from her cervix without her knowledge. 

In 1951, Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer. She was treated at Johns Hopkins University, where a doctor named George Gey snipped cells from her cervix without telling her. Gey discovered that Lacks' cells could not only be kept alive, but would also grow indefinitely. For the past 60 years Lacks' cells have been cultured and used in experiments ranging from determining the long-term effects of radiation to testing the live polio vaccine. Her cells were commercialized and have generated millions of dollars in profit for the medical researchers who patented her tissue. Lacks' family, however, didn't know the cell cultures existed until more than 20 years after her death.

The North Fulton AAUW Branch will use the Saturday, March 11 monthly meeting Saturday morning monthly meeting from 10 a.m. until noon to discuss the book. For information and meeting home location, contact the membership chair at karenleasman@aol.com.