'Henrietta Lacks: The Untold Story' ~ Don't Silence Her Twice

BALTIMORE, December 31, 2019 (Newswire.com) - Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman whose cells were the first human cells to grow in cultures known as HeLa cells. Before the discovery of HeLa, scientists were challenged in their research due to the difficulty of keeping cells alive outside of the human body. HeLa cells forever changed the medical landscape. They were used to test the first polio vaccine, which protected millions of people around the world. This is a memoir written by Henrietta Lacks' grandson Ron Lacks.

Ron Lacks tells a behind-the-scenes story of what happened in the past nine years to her family in his new memoir “Henrietta Lacks: The Untold Story.” Ron Lacks is the oldest grandson of Henrietta Lacks. He takes readers on the inside of a story that has haunted him for so many years. This memoir will shed light on how the family is really doing now. From Clover, Virginia, to Baltimore, Maryland, Lacks gives readers an inside look at what happened behind closed doors that ultimately divided a once strong family.

Henrietta Lacks: The Untold Story gives the true narrative of Henrietta Lacks from the perspective of those who knew her best. Using stories and memories told to the author by Lawrence Lacks, his father, who is Henrietta’s oldest child, Ron Lacks provides a previously untold account of Henrietta’s life as a vibrant woman before her illness.

After years of Ron hearing about how poor and ignorant Henrietta’s family was and the public believing every word, it took one morning to change everything for him. Something was said on national television for the entire world to hear that made Ron decide it was time for him to tell his story. He gives the reader a raw viewpoint about the division that has split the Lacks family. Ron Lacks takes an unapologetic view of what has bothered him and some of his family members for years, which includes the manipulations, inaccuracies, and financial enticements that chipped away at the loyalty and commitment that once held them together.

Ron’s story seeks to honor Henrietta Lacks' legacy by sharing his amazing private family photographs, stories and memories.   

“It's not often that African Americans get to share in the telling of our own stories, most of the time the people are long gone and we can only go by what people decide to say happened and not the actual truth of what happened.”

To receive an update on the release date, sign up at ​https://www.henriettalacksuntold.com.

Source: Ron Leroy