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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Mucha from Baltimore, MD is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Mucha is requesting

The Stolen Cells of Henrietta Lacks!

My students need a class set (35) of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks."

  • $594 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Ms. Mucha for her next project!

Help Ms. Mucha

My Students

Help inspire future scientists! This book will help my students understand the importance of science and push them to improve their literacy. It will challenge them to make bioethical considerations and become advocates against the health disparities that they, and their communities, face every day.

Many of my students question the value in studying science.

The story of Henrietta Lacks and her contribution to medicine can help bring that relevance to my students. Through application of this novel, my students can reach a better understanding of bioethics and the prejudices that cause health disparities to occur. I teach 11th grade Biology in a public inner city school in Maryland. I have approximately 75 students that I see each day. We are a title one school. Despite this, my students are visionaries. They are insightful, bold, and unafraid, and I have learned more from them than I ever imagined possible. I want to foster this curious drive to learn by bringing them relevance, while simultaneously improving literacy.

My Project

The story of Henrietta Lacks is both incredible and horrifying. Amazingly, scientists were able to use cancer cells from her tumor to grow human cells in a laboratory setting. While a great advancement in medicine, a huge ethical breach was made: the doctor that took her cells did not get permission, or even inform her that he was doing so, nor did she or her family receive benefits (such as compensation) from the procedure. These cells (now known as HeLa cells) survived long after Henrietta Lacks died, and have been integral in many scientific breakthroughs, such as the development of the polio vaccine, cancer-mapping, and cloning. Unfortunately, Henrietta Lacks never knew her contribution to modern science, and her story has been scarcely told. Reading Henrietta Lacks' story will allow my students to examine the connections between the little-discussed history of experimentation on African-Americans, the bioethics behind medical research and the role health disparities play today.

The opportunity to implement this novel into my curriculum cannot happen without your help.

There is simply not enough funding. By donating, you will not only help support student literacy, but you can contribute to a revolution. Please help open young eyes and eager minds to the world of science; give my students the push they need to become scientists, self-advocates, great thinkers, and lovers of learning.

Ms. Mucha Friendship Academy of Engineering & Technology Grades 9-12

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Ms. Mucha

Baltimore, MD View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

75 students impacted 24donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Mucha is requesting.

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks • AKJ Books $12.48 35 $436.80

Materials cost

$436.80

Vendor shipping charges

 FREE

Sales tax

 $26.21

3rd party payment processing fee

$6.55

Fulfillment labor & materials

$35.00

Total project cost

$504.56

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$89.04

Total project goal

$593.60

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $593.60

23 Donors

-$590.95

Donations toward project cost

-$504.56

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$86.39

Excluded support for DonorsChoose

-$2.65

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Mucha and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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