A Book Chat by Katherine Powers

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• A Book Chat by Katherine Powers

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Summary

• Annas sister has leukemia, a blood and bone
  marrow cancer. Anna was born because a scientist
  was able to find the right combination of DNA
  from her parents so that she would be a bone
  marrow match for Kate, her sister. Her parents
  need her to donate a kidney to her sister, which
  could be life threatening for both of them. Her
  parents never have given her a choice when it
  comes to medical procedures, so she decides to
  sue them for the rights to her own body. She
  finds a lawyer and goes to court to have the
  choice on whether or not she wants to donate her
  kidney.
• Her mom happens to be a lawyer, and she plans to
  represent herself and her husband. Since the
  lawsuit was filed, she has repeatedly tried to
  convince her daughter to drop the lawsuit. Anna
  often lies and tells her that she will drop it,
  just to make her happy.
• Meanwhile, Annas Lawyer becomes romantically
  involved with her guardian ad litem. This causes
  lots of stress for both of them.

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• During the case hearing, Annas lawyer has a
  seizure while she is testifying. This scares her
  and affects the rest of her speech.
• In the end, the judge rules to give Anna full
  medical emancipation from her parents. He also
  has Annas lawyer be the one to guide her
  decisions.
• Meanwhile, Kate is at the hospital dying from
  kidney failure. After the case, her parents go
  back to be with her when her dad gets an
  ambulance call (he is a career firefighter). He
  goes to the scene of as car crash to find out
  that it was Anna and her lawyer that were the
  ones in the crash.
• At the hospital, Anna is declared brain dead, and
  the doctors ask if they considered organ
  donation. Annas Lawyer then comes in and
  declared that theres a girl upstairs who needs
  that kidney. After they take out Annas organs,
  they turn her off life support.
• In the epilogue, It is revealed that with her
  sisters kidney, Kate has survived for 8 years
  and is now a dance teacher. She believes that
  someone had to die, and that Anna took her place.

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Why I love My Sisters Keeper

• It goes deep into issues of independence
• It is very well written
• It has interesting point of views
• It has taught me about jealousy
• It has taught me a lot about medical terms, which
  I find very interesting.

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Why you should read My Sisters Keeper

• It is a page turner.
• It is dramatic and sad.
• It is interesting to read.
• It teaches you and makes you think about what is
  right legally and what is right morally.

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Book excerpt

• Mr. Alexander, I say,my sister has leukemia.
• Im sorry to hear that. But even if I were
  willing to litigate against God again, which Im
  not, you cant bring a lawsuit on someone elses
  behalf.
• There is way too much to explain my own blood
  seeping into my sisters veins the nurses
  scolding me down to stick me for white cells Kate
  might borrow the doctor saying they didnt get
  enough the first time around. The bruises and the
  deep bone ache after I gave up my marrow the
  shots that sparked more stem cells in me, so that
  thered be extra for my sister. The fact that Im
  not sick, but I might as well be. The fact that
  the only reason I was born was as a harvest crop
  for Kate. The fact that even now, a major
  decision about me is being made, and no ones
  bothered to ask the one person who most deserves
  it to speak her opinion.
• Theres way too much to explain, and so I do the
  best I can.Its not God. Just my parents, "I
  say.I want to sue them for the rights to my own
  body.

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How the book is different from the movie

• In the film, Kate dies before the verdict is
  reached. In the book, she survives with a kidney
  transplant and has been in remission for eight
  years.
• Annas Lawyer, Campbell is a more prominent
  character in the book.
• The book is set in the state of Rhode Island, but
  the movie is set in the state of California
• In the book, Anna is thirteen, in the movie,
  she's eleven

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About Kates Cancer

• When I read the book, I had questions about the
  cancer that Kate had. So I researched it. This is
  what I found.
• Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a cancer of the
  blood and bone marrow. Only about 1200 people a
  year are diagnosed with it. A person can live in
  remission (without cancer) for anywhere between 3
  months and 9 years. It is usually treated with
  chemotherapy rather than radiation or surgery. It
  can also be treated with a combination of all
  three.

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