Author Rebecca Skloot is coming to town!

Rebecca Skloot, best known for her book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, will be speaking at the Cleveland Public Library (Main Library) on Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 PM. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the true story about Henrietta Lacks, who was born in 1920 and lived in/near Baltimore, MD for most of her young life. In 1951, Henrietta developed cancer and unknowingly doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital took tissue samples without her or her family's knowledge. She died without ever knowing that her cancer cells would become immortal. Her cells, also known as HeLA cells, continue to grow and regenerate. HeLa cells have helped in the development of major scientific achievements in the past fifty years such as the polio vaccine, in-vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping. To this day, HeLa cells are the most widely used cells in labs worldwide. Her book is a fascinating read because of the moral and ethical debate over scientific/medical advancements while also learning about the person and family that has brought us HeLa. More about the author visit...