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Henrietta's family struggled with poverty and lack of healthcare from "summary" of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Henrietta Lacks was born into a world where poverty and lack of access to healthcare were a constant struggle for her family. Growing up in the segregated South, Henrietta and her loved ones faced numerous barriers to receiving proper medical treatment. The nearest hospital for African Americans was a ten-mile drive from their home, a distance that was often insurmountable due to the family's limited financial resources. Without the means to afford regular check-ups or preventative care, illnesses often went untreated until they became serious. When Henrietta herself fell ill, she delayed seeking medical attention until her symptoms became unbearable. By the time she finally went to Johns Hopkins Hospital, her cancer had already advanced to a critical stage, highlighting the consequences of living without adequate healthcare. The Lacks family's financial struggles were exacerbated by the racial discrimination of the time, which limited their opportunities for economic advancement. Jobs were s...
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