AP Bio Reading Assignment: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Henrietta Lacks was a mother of five in Baltimore, a poor African American migrant from the tobacco farms of Virginia, who died from a cruelly aggressive cancer at the age of 30 in 1951. A sample of her cancerous tissue, taken without her knowledge or consent, as was the custom then, turned out to provide one of the holy grails of mid-century biology: human cells that could survive--even thrive--in the lab. Known as HeLa cells, their stunning potency gave scientists a building block for countless breakthroughs, beginning with the cure for polio. Meanwhile, Henrietta's family continued to live in poverty and frequently poor health, and their discovery decades later of her unknowing contribution--and her cells' strange survival--left them full of pride, anger, and suspicion. For a decade, Skloot doggedly but compassionately gathered the threads of these stories, slowly gaining the trust of the family while helping them learn the truth about Henrietta, and with their aid she tells a rich and haunting story that asks the questions, Who owns our bodies? And who carries our memories? Rebecca Skloot has fashioned in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks a fascinating and moving story of medicine and family, of how life is sustained in laboratories and in memory.http://www. a m az on.com/ I mmo r tal-Life-Henrie t ta-L a cks/d p /1 4 00 0 521 7 3/ref = sr_1_1?ie = UT F 8 &qid= 1 30 6 8 7 2 9 29&sr= 8 -1 # _ 6/1/11

DIRECTIONS1. Buy or borrow and then read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by

RebeccaSkloot, published by Crown Publishers, New York, 2010 (ISBN 978-1-4000-5217-2).This non-fiction will give you an opportunity to learn about more about cells andthe first “line” of cancer cells. It’s a tale of scientific research but contains thehuman side of the story – it starts in the days before “informed consent” but itshould make you think about medical bioethics today too…

2. Answer the chapter questions while you read the book, but you will need to complete the entire story before tackling the final questions. Assignment must be typed (12 pt font) and answers should be clearly labeled & numbered for each chapter and question. Answer in complete sentences, use good grammar and spelling, but be clear and concise; discussion should be in your own words even if page numbers are referenced. Your completed assignment should be “AP quality” (your best effort!)

3. There will be a test on the book at a date that is to be determined! This entire assignment will be worth 4 grades. 2 Homework/Classwork Grades for the chapter questions and the 1 page written response. 2 Test Grades for the 2 page written response and the multiple choice test.

Chapter Questions Chap 1 1. Think about the title of the book. What does “immortal” mean

in the context of this story? How was Henrietta “immortal?”2. Think about what you know about cancer. Why is cancer so dangerous?3. Why did Henrietta and other black people avoid going to the doctor or

going to the hospital in the story?4. What did the doctor discover when Henrietta went to the doctor?

Chap 2-3 5. At what age did Henrietta have her first baby? Get married? Anything

surprising about any of this?6. In 1951, doctors did not know much about cervical cancer; they did not

know how to treat it or how to prevent it. Doctors also did research on patients who were poor and without their permission (no informed consent). Do you think this was right? Why or why not?

7. Why did the doctor take a sample of Henrietta’s tumor and healthy cervical tissue? What did the doctor hope to prove with the cells?

8. The doctors treated cervical cancer with radium? What is radium? Why is it dangerous?

Chap 4-5 9. In the 1950s, doctors had not figured out a way to grow cells outside of

the human body. Why did Dr. Gey want to grow cells? Why was it so hard to grow cells outside of the human body?

10. Why is this chapter called “The Birth of HeLa?” How were the HeLa cancer cells different than any other cells in the world?

Chap 6 11. Describe the Tuskegee syphilis study.12. Describe the Mississippi Appendectomies.13. Why did these two studies make black people mistrust doctors?14. Who was Roland Pattillo and why do you think he was protective of

Henrietta’s family?

Chap 7-8 15. Where did Dr. Gey send Henrietta’s cells? Why?16. Do you think Henietta would have gotten better treatment if she was white?

Why or why not?17. Describe how Henrietta’s cancer got worse.

Chap 9-18. What kind of reaction did Rebecca get when she drove through Turner Point?19. Have you ever had a similar experience where people stared at you

because you didn’t “fit in” or when you felt you did not belong?20. Cootie says that voodoo was involved in Henrietta’s cells still being alive. Explain

what she means and what voodoo is.

Chap 11-12 21. Why did Emmett Lacks and other black men go to the hospital to donate

blood for Henrietta?22. What was Henrietta’s last wish before she died on Oct 4, 1951?23. After Henrietta died, the doctors wanted to do an autopsy on her. Why do you

think some people do not want to have autopsies and other people do?24. What do you think about people donating their bodies to science? Would

you do that?25. Do you think it is ironic that Henrietta, who was so important to science,

had an unmarked grave? Why do you think this is so?

Chap 13 26. During the 1950s, polio spread across America. How did Henrietta’s HeLa

cells help to stop polio?27. The first HeLa factory was at Tuskegee Institute and produced 6 trillion HeLa

cells each week. Why is it ironic that the first HeLa factory was at Tuskegee?

28. HeLa cells were important in the research of polio, measles, TB, encephalitis, cloning, in vitro-fertilization, chemotherapy, AIDS, and space exploration. Why is each of these important?

Chap 14-15 29. Why didn’t Dr. Get want Henrietta’s real name used in any article?30. If reporters had published Henrietta’s real name, how would the lives

of her relatives be different?31. Three of Henrietta’s children developed tuberculosis after her funeral. What is

TB and how was it treated in the 1950s? Why is this ironic when you think about how the HeLa cells were being used?

Chap 16-32. Why is it ironic that the black and white Lacks family members were

buried in the same place?33. Dr. Southam decided to test the cancerous HeLa cells on cancer patients

and prisoners in jail without them knowing they were cancer cells. Do you think this was wrong? Why or why not?

34. Do you think that researchers and doctors should be able to conduct risky research on people without their consent? Why or why not?

35. What is “informed consent?” Google this one to get some help ☺

Chap 18-20 36. In the 1950s, researchers did a great deal of experimenting with cells, mixing

human cells with other animal cells. The general public complained that they were trying to be gods. Do you think scientists and doctors have now gone too far (cloning, genetic mapping, life support, etc.)?

37. Why/how have society’s views and opinions re: teenage pregnancy and single mothers changed since the 1960s and 1970s?

38. HeLa cells were unusual in that they were vey strong. Give examples of how strong the HeLa cells were and how they could spread.

Chap 21-22 39. Who was Johns Hopkins? Why did he establish the Johns Hopkins’ hospital?40. Why is Chapter 21 called “Night Doctors?” What did some doctors from Johns

Hopkins do in the middle of the night?41. Why did Dr. Gey tell his surgeons to take a sample of his prostate cancer cells?

Do you think the doctors should have honored his request? Compare his situation to Henrietta’s situation when Dr. Gey took her cells.

42. Do you think the title of Chapter 22 “The Fame She So Richly Deserves” is appropriate? Why or why not?

Chap 23-26 43. The tissue samples removed from Henrietta’s tumor were not removed to help

treat her cancer, but instead for research. Was it wrong for the doctor toremove the tissue in the first place? Was it wrong for Dr. Gey to collect those samples for the purpose of tying to grow them in a lab?

44. How do you feel about knowing that you still do not have control over your body

once you go to see the doctor? If you discovered that tissue removed from your body was used to benefit science and research , would you feel that you should be paid?

45. What do you think is more important – a person’s personal rights over their own

tissue, or contributing to science and research for the benefit of all humankind?

46. Was it a good thing for the members of the Lacks family that Rebecca Skloot wrote this book? Why or why not?

47. Do you think that the family should receive money for the sale of the HeLacells? Do you agree with their feeling that that they should be paid?

Chap 27-33 48. Why did some scientists say that the HeLa cells were no longer human?

Do you agree with this?49. Why didn’t Deborah trust Rebecca when they first met? Was Deborah

justified to not trust Rebecca?50. If you could meet Deborah or Rebecca, what would you ask them?

Chap 34-38 51. Why was it important for Deborah to make sure the family were the only

people who had Henrietta’s medical records and that they not be published in Rebecca’s book?

52. Why was Rebecca feeling guilty for all the stress that Deborah wasexperiencing, both emotionally and physically?

Fi n a l Questio n s (af t er y o u’ve fi n ished the book!) 53. Ownership of genetic material is still a vexed issue. Many human genes

have been patented and a battle is currently being fought through the U.S. courts between doctors and a biotech company owning the patents for genes used in breast cancer research screening. What are your thoughts about research and patents in this now “profit making” industry? Must be at least a 2 page paper! Include Citations! Work must be your own!

54. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the story of an African American woman and her family that touches on many big issues: bioethics, racism, poverty, science, faith, and more. What threads stand out to you and why? Must be at least 1 page!

***Assignment adapted from http://static.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/gems/SummerAssignments/2011HenriettaLacksAssignment.pdf*** Always give credit where credit is due!