The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, written by Rebecca Skloot, was published in 2010. The book is non-fiction and is about the life of Henrietta Lacks, a woman who developed cervical disease. cancer and died in 1951. Although Henrietta died, her cancer cells remained immortal, were saved by researchers and doctors and used for many cancer studies, medicines and research. Although the subject of the book is very scientific in nature, Skloot uses very accessible language so that many people can understand the issues discussed in the book. Skloot gathered information for the book by spending time with Henrietta's family, including Henrietta's daughter Deborah, who provided Skloot with information in her diary. Skloot also accessed photos and documents to help write her first book about the life of Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman from Baltimore, Maryland who was lower class and therefore not accepted by many hospitals to treat her. cervical cancer. Fortunately, Johns Hopkins offered Lacks free treatment in its public division, although that treatment was sometimes not the most meticulous. In January 1951, doctors discovered a large tumor on Henrietta's cervix. This was shortly after the birth of her daughter, Deborah, in 1950. Deborah never really knew who her mother was because Henrietta died in October 1951. With the treatment and services offered by Hopkins doctors being free to Henrietta and the other patients, it was expected that their bodies and cases could be used for research and this was their payment. In this anticipation, Henrietta's cancer cells were contracted and donated to Dr. George Gey. Due to the cell's ability to reproduce very...... middle of paper ...... cancer, disease, illness, etc.). Without consent, a doctor or hospital should not be able to keep any part of a patient's cells to use for their own benefit, whether to grow them for research or sell them. to other companies and research institutes. Being able to read one's genome in today's world would allow doctors to access a patient's entire genetic code. This is something a patient should have control over, because their blood and DNA belong to them. Hopefully, because Skloot has raised awareness about Henrietta Lacks' case, laws will not only be created, but strictly enforced to protect patients from having their genetic information made available to the public and the medical world. This legislation requires extreme specificity and precision, but it is necessary. Only if the patient has given consent should their body be used for medical research purposes..