The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Term Paper Sample)

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Summary
There are different types of specimens, which remain skeletonised in museums mainly due to the benefits they have brought forth to the human life. Some exist as parts in glass jars, yet they symbolize great milestones in the history of knowledge. However, it is extremely difficult to locate the humanity of many of them. This is because they are treated as mere objects to those who take care of them, mainly because they lack life. Henrietta Lacks is a historical figure who represents a medical specimen of a unique kind. She remains to be remembered as one woman whose contribution to the medical world has no close match. The threads of her empathy might have snapped and faded away because she died a long time ago, but she remains to be a treasure to the living.
Henrietta was only 31 years of age when she passed on more than six decades ago in a “coloured ward” (Skloot, 13). As open-hearted as she was, she suffered in defiant pain during her final years on earth. Her autopsy led to the discovery of numerous tumours in her body’s interior. Doctors had only given Henrietta some pain-killing medication without revealing to her what she was suffering from. They did not even notify her family members who still held on hope that she would receive a cure. It was in Johns Hopkins Hospital where it all happened in Baltimore. To say the least, his was a mean thing for the doctors to do. They treated their patient badly without embracing sincerity in their code of conduct. This is an ill motive since each patient has a right to be treated truthfully. They concealed her real sickness because of their own ulterior agendas.
Henrietta left behind a loving husband as well as five children. In the medical world, the doctors took a tissue slice from her body, which would later on bring a revolution in the field of cell cultivation. These tissues were developing in a tumour which caused her primary cervical cancer (Skloot, 21). This sample tissue possessed some unique characteristics which made doctors conduct secretive research on her body behind her back. They cultured multiple cells from this specimen. The uniqueness of her cells received recognition from different research facilities from all over the world. Prior to this discovery, researchers had encountered endless difficulties in their search for unparalleled human cells. However, Henrietta’s cells replicated easily, and they were significantly robust.
This discovery provided a great opening into the world of medical research. No one would have thought that a simple woman from a humble background would be the solution for the highly treasured evolution. Despite the fact that she died unaware of the medical value of her cells, Henrietta contributed more to the human race than she could ever have imagined. In my opinion, letting her know how much she contributed towards the doctors’ research would have been the best thing to do. As professionals, it is essential to recognize the silent contribution of specimen providers. I am sure she would have died a happy woman knowing how much value she had added to the medical research fraternity.
Following this breakthrough, these cells became significantly exceptional tools. The most astonishing aspect about them is that they were able to survive even when they were frozen for storage purposes (Skloot, 32). This made it possible to halt their development during a research process, and then restart it later. As a pharmacist, I get troubled when I read about how animals were used as live specimens in the earlier years. In my opinion, this is a cruel but necessary act. The rights of animals used to be violated for purposes of making new discoveries in research institutions. However, Henrietta’s cells brought an end to this. Since they would be cultured and kept alive in their trillions, there was no more need to perform experiments on live animals. They could serve this purpose in a perfect manner
The most poignant point for me in this book is the theme of dishonesty. The way in which doctors treated her sickness, as well as her cells, is not morally acceptable. Regardless of the milestone achieved through her tissues, it was virtuously degrading for the involved parties to treat her with dishonesty. No matter how little a person’s personality may be, honesty should be embraced at all costs in the medical fraternity. It is agree-able that the breakthrough has served the purpose of the greater good, but means researchers used are questionable. Henrietta’s cells have for six decades now been used in all sorts of experimental purposes. They are utilised in atomic warfare research, polio vaccines, AIDS research, and many others (Skloot, 29).
However, it is bitter that the woman who facilitated this milestone remains unknown. Additionally, she is not even recognized by those who benefit from her the most. Her tissues have developed a lot of revenues through successful experiments, but this cash only feeds selfish researchers. It is disturbing to learn that even her family has not benefitted from the incredible success of her unparalleled tissues. She has greatly benefited the living fraternity, but her research project was a great shame as far as codes of conduct are concerned.
This book reveals how black people were mistreated during the earlier years with such experiments. There are many other cases which the researchers neglected most likely because they did not bear any fruits. It is significantly disturbing how researchers used to abduct black women, and little children for purposes of their dangerous undertakings. It is a disgrace to learn that doctors neglected men who suffered from syphilis. They let the patients die from the disease so that they could investigate the progressiveness of the virus (Skloot, 41). Such studies are unethical, and the government should monitor such activities to make sure the perpetrators do not get away without justice.
There is a dark face in this book full of inhuman activities, and the researchers carry them out in the name of science. The incredible achievements documented therein cannot be used as cover-up for all the injustice committed towards black people. Racism and mistreatment are vices which should neither be tolerated in any state, nor encouraged in the medical discipline. Humanitarian advance is a great aspect of life and every living being benefits from it. However, researchers should embrace morality and humane treatment in their undertakings when experimenting for their progress.
Henrietta’s family members only came to learn about her state of immortality more than two decades after she passed on. They came to this realization when some researchers started experimenting on her children and husband secretively without their approved consent. Her whole revolves around a cycle of a dark portion of historical unethical exploitation. Almost all her family members ar...