United We Read: “Who Owns My Body?”

October has been filled with fascinating discussions and presentations at the Library about the many topics in the United We Read selection, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” by Rebecca Skloot. Whether you’ve read the book, just started it, are almost finished with it, or are re-reading it, you won’t want to miss a spot at the last presentation: “Who Owns My Body?” by Dr. Richard Gunderman, on Tuesday, October 25, 2011, at 6:30pm in the Lora Hussey Room.

In “Who Owns My Body?” Dr. Gunderman will talk about the ways in which Henrietta Lacks’ story prompts us to question our relationships to our bodies, along with our notions of ownership of our bodies. If the body is our property, are we at liberty to sell it, or portions of it? Be a part of the conversation as we explore the complexities of bioethics and what it means to be human.

Richard Gunderman, MD PhD, is Professor of Radiology, Pediatrics, Medical Education, Philosophy, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy at Indiana University, where he also serves as Vice Chair of Radiology. He is the author of over 300 scholarly articles and 8 books, including "Achieving Excellence in Medical Education" and "We Make A Life By What We Give." He is president of the faculty at Indiana University School of Medicine. He and his wife, Laura, reside in Zionsville and have four children.