SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amanda Kendall says finding her father was a “fairy tale ending” to 30 years of painful separation -- and a miracle in which the DNA-testing expertise of Identigene played a critical part.
Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, Amanda was put in foster care when she was 6-years-old where she remained for the rest of her childhood. When some of her relatives asked where she was, they were told she had been adopted and was thriving as part of a fictional Oregon doctor’s family. Her aunts, uncles and cousins tried to locate her, but because of Amanda’s surname change, the quest was impossible. They had no idea that she was growing up, lonely for her family, as a ward of the state of California.
Recently Amanda, now a resident of Waterford, Calif., located a cousin on Facebook this past May and soon was in contact with other long-lost relatives. During a family reunion in Texas, a cousin was able to locate Amanda’s father in Oklahoma and put her in contact with him. The two wrote each other and decided to purchase the Identigene DNA Paternity Test kit at a local Walgreens to confirm their biological bond.
“Identigene was incredibly awesome. The test was convenient to buy and easy to use,” Amanda says. “I called and was curious about the test, the ins and outs of how it worked. They explained the process and made me feel really at ease.”
She and her father had only to use the test kit’s oral swabs and mail them back to Identigene’s Salt Lake City laboratories. When Amanda called Identigene, she was told to expect her results – guaranteed private and secure -- within three to five days. “I had already waited for 30 years, so a few more days didn’t hurt,” Amanda says.
“As far as Identigene goes, I would recommend this test to anyone because gives peace of mind and a sense of belonging,” Amanda says. “I’ve [been able to take] this long journey and flown several thousand miles to just get a hug from family that I had believed lost.”
She is not alone. Thousands of Identigene customers have found the company’s DNA testing products to literally be life changing. (To read about some more of them, visit www.dnatesting.com/presskit).
Pricing and Availability
Available nationwide on family planning and home diagnostic aisles of pharmacies, the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit is carried in over 16,900 stores in all 50 states. Suggested retail price is $29.99 and the laboratory processing fee is $119. Customers who want to use their test results in legal proceedings follow an optional specimen collection procedure for an additional handling fee of $200. The Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit is the first and only DNA test ever sold in major retail outlets.
To find the nearest store location, visit: http://www.dnatesting.com/dna-paternity-testing/store-paternity-test.php.
Online Press Room
The Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit online pressroom is www.dnatesting.com/presskit, and provides past press releases, high-resolution images, B-roll footage and a store locator.
About Identigene
Identigene, a Sorenson Genomics company, is the world’s largest provider of direct-to-consumer DNA paternity testing. Founded in 1993, Identigene was the first DNA testing laboratory in the world to commercially use modern STR technology for paternity testing, and is the first and only company to sell a DNA test through major retail outlets. Identigene offers a full range of DNA testing services including tests used to determine paternity, siblingship and other familial relationships, as well as DNA tests for purposes of immigration, child custody, settling estates and other family-related situations. Additional information about Identigene, its national and international laboratory accreditations, and its DNA testing services is available at www.dnatesting.com.