HenriettaLacksTheUntoldStoryIreallyneedpeopletounderstandthereasonbehindmewritingthisbookaboutmygrandmother“HenriettaLacks“.Forthosethathaveneverheardofher,sheisthefirsthumanwhosecelllinewasabletogrowinculture,hercellswereunlikeanyothercells,whileotherscellswoulddie,HenriettaLackscellsdoubledevery20to24hours.Shehascontributedtothemedicalfieldinwaysthatnoothercelllinehasdone.HeLacellshashelpedwiththepoliovaccine,genemapping,invitrofertilization,sensitivitytotape,dentalandevenusedinthecosmeticfield.TohearandreadconstantlythatHenriettaLackswasapoorblackfarmerishardtoaccept.AnyonethatlooksatherpicturecantellthatHenriettaandherhusbandDavidLacksweren’tpoorblackfarmers-theyenjoyedthefinerthingsinlife.TheymovedfromClovertoBaltimore,notoutofpovertybut,becausetheyfelttheirchildrenwouldgetabettereducationhere.Idecideditwastimetoletpeoplehaveaninsidelookfromthesideofthefamilythatpeopledon’thearaboutmuchandthat’sLawrenceLacksfamily-HenriettaLacks’oldestson.He’stheonlyonewho’sstillalivethatknewhismother.Mydadwas16yearsoldwhenhismompassedaway.Itstillbringstearstohiseyeswhenhethinksaboutallthepainandsufferingthatshewentthroughbeforeherpassing.OurfamilyhasalwayswantedpeopletoknowaboutHenriettaLacks,becausewehavealwaysbeenenthusedbythemillionsoflivesthat“HenriettaLacks’HeLacells“havedonetohelpsaveandcurepeopleallovertheworld.Butwhatwedidn’twantisforherhistorytobetoldincorrectly.I’msothankfulthatIamabletotellherfamilysideofthestoryfromthepeoplewhowastherewhileshewasstilllivingandthingsthatIpersonallywitnessedformyselfastimewenton.AsIgetolderInowrealizeifIdidn’ttellthisstorynooneelsewould.Thisisastorythatneedstobesharedbecausethereisahugepartofherhistorythathasbeenleftout.Asstatedinmybook:“It’snotoftenthatweasAfricanAmericansgettoshareinthetellingofourownstories,mostofthetimethepeoplearelonggoneandwecanonlygobywhatpeopledecidetosayhappenedandnottheactualtruthofwhathappened“.
