Book Signing/Author Q&A March 23
TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF MEDIA ALERT
Contact: Keena Miller
Phone: 512-462-5328, cell: 512-658-4444
Email: [email protected]
FOR RELEASE MARCH 23, 2012
TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT HAS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN HER HEART FOR AUSTIN
Book Signing, Presentation and Q&A with author of Austin’s Gift
Austin, Texas – March 23, 2012 At only eight days old in a Chicago
hospital, Lauren Aggen received a miraculous gift from Austin Texas – a
donor heart that saved her life.
Aggen visits Austin March 23, 2012 for the first time to share her
story – Austin’s Gift, with a book signing and Q&A hosted at the Texas
School for the Deaf (TSD).
WHAT:
Austin’s Gift Author and Heart Transplant Survivor, Lauren Aggen
Presentation, Q&A and Book Signing
WHERE:
R. L. Davis Auditorium
Texas School for the Deaf
1102 South Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78704
WHEN:
Friday, March 23, 2012
10:10 AM
A transplant survivor, Aggen is now a third year student majoring in
Multidiciplinary Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology’s
National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID).
Medication Aggen received the week she was born while awaiting a
transplant caused her hearing loss, and she will always require
anti-rejection medication. But, discouraged? Not Aggen.
“I traded certain death for a long-term medical condition, she says.
I’ve been very fortunate that my heart matched and has done so well.
Thanks to a family that made a precious gift, I have had many wonderful
opportunities.”
In her book, Aggen – who fondly named her heart donor, Austin –
chronicles her life and pays tribute to the family that gave her a
second chance at life by donating their child’s organs.
“It is truly a miracle that people whom I never knew, and who never
knew I existed, were willing to do that, so that I could be here today
to write my story. Austin and his family have taught me a very
important virtue: every day is a gift. I’m able to tell you my story
because of Austin’s family, who, despite their great loss, were able to
give a gift that will last me my entire life.”
# # #
About Austin’s Gift: The Life of a Grateful Organ Recipient
“This is the life story of a 20-year-old college student who received a
heart transplant at eight days old. Through personal reflections and
the stories of parents and family friends, the author relates the
fears, challenges, and successes of life as an organ recipient. The
author also relates how the life-saving measures her doctors pursued
when she was a newborn left her with permanent hearing loss and how
this has shaped her life experiences. The book is filled with the joy
of life and the gratitude this young woman feels for the opportunities
she has had”—Available online.
About TSD
The Texas School for the Deaf is the oldest continuously operating
public school in Texas. Educating deaf and hard of hearing students of
Texas since 1856, the campus also provides outreach and educational
resources for students, their families and professionals in the field
throughout the state of Texas. With educational excellence and a
strong belief in a culture and community, TSD supports students’
individual strengths and talents. TSD is an environment where students
learn, grow, and belong. For more information about the Texas School
for the Deaf, visit http://www.tsd.state.tx.us/