Contact: Adam Cothes, Publicist, WinePress Publishing Group, 360-802-9758, adam@winepressgroup.com
ENUMCLAW, Wash., Feb. 11 /Christian Newswire/ -- The New York Organ Donor Network, Inc. reported 28,111 organ transplant recipients in the United States in 2005; twenty-two year old author Amber Nicole Metz was one of them.
And while she's thankful for her new lungs, Metz remembers and mourns the 6,639 patients who died that same year while awaiting donations that never materialized.
Two months after her birth, doctors diagnosed Metz with cystic fibrosis, a disease characterized by shortness of breath, lung infections, failure to thrive, progressive disability, and early death.
At age nineteen, Amber's already fragile health deteriorated beyond repair. Faced with the possibility of death, Metz dropped out of school, returned home, and committed herself to a waiting list for organ donation. Her new book, "Breathtaking" (WinePress), chronicles her painful journey prior to surgery and several months afterwards.
Now over two years since her transplant, Amber continues to thrive and educate others on the importance of organ donation. She is currently a full-time student majoring in Biblical Studies through Moody Bible Institute, as well as a speaker on behalf of organ donation awareness and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Although there is no current cure for Cystic Fibrosis, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation published a statement on their website listing Denufosol as a potential new therapeutic treatment for Cystic Fibrosis on December 28, 2006. Created by Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Denufosol is listed as one of the top five most promising drugs entering phase three clinical trials and offers symptomatic relief for those suffering with Cystic Fibrosis.
According to the official Organ Donation and Transplantation website of the US Department of Health and Services, there are currently 98,000 on the waiting list for donated organs (February 1, 2008).
Amber Metz is the founder and Executive Director of Breathtaking Ministries (www.ambermetz.com), a ministry geared to reach others for Christ through her speaking abilities, as well as to testify of God’s sovereignty, even amidst suffering. Amber and her family reside in Ohio.
For a review copy or to schedule an interview please contact Adam Cothes.
