Post date: Apr 8, 2013 7:21:57 PM
RAO has really been engrossed by the story of Henrietta Lacks. After reading that her oldest daughter---Elsie---had epileptic seizures during a time when people understood less about the condition, we were pleased to have Tracy Schultz from the Epilepsy Foundation to come and be a Guest Reader. Not only did she participate in our discussion, but she educated us about first aid and epilepsy, and read a few pages from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Ms. Schultz shared that she belonged to a book club that had recently read the book, as well.
Roosevelt University graciously provided us with a tour of their biology lab, where we had a tour, saw a demonstration of how DNA is extracted from the nucleus of a strawberry cell, and had a chance to look at cheek cells through a microscope.
The book has inspired us to think and talk about the value of medical research as well as how being poor, black, and uneducated can be a recipe for powerlessness.