Wednesday, January 11, 2012

#2 Going, Going, Gone.

8 months after she had been diagnosed with cancer Henrietta passes away, and had only one wish, that Day takes care of the kids. Dr. Gey had asked of the family if they would allow for an autopsy so that he could collect tissues samples. Being Henrietta’s husband Day was the one “in charge” of making the big decision. Initially he declined but after being told what could be the result of the studies he then approved. Them being medicine and procedures that could aid his children in the future, rid them of things like what had killed Henrietta. On a strange note there was very terrible storms on the days following her death and as she was lowered into the grave a “deadly storm” started. HeLa cells were an un-struck gold mine soon to be stumbled upon. The cells were so easy to produce any Dr. that wanted the cells could buy them and have them shipped to you for $10. These cells played an important role in the vaccine for polio. On another good note testing for drugs and cosmetics was now widely being done on these cells opposed to cute mice. A not-so-nice trick pulled by Dr. Gey to “preserve" patient confidentiality he made up names to through off the press like Helen Lane and Helen Larson , also to prevent her family from finding out that her cells were being used without her consent prior to her death. Their family being close and supportive took care of each other as the family sort of fell apart. 3 of the kids contracted Tuberculosis and the other got drafted. Something else sort of strange in the Lacks’ family cemetery there are both white and black people buried there.

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