On September 6, 2025, MOHAN Foundation (MF) conducted an organ donation awareness session for the members of GSK Foundation Trust at their Faridabad office in Haryana. The session was coordinated by Ms. Deepshikha Kumari, Coordinator, GSK Foundation Trust, and facilitated by Ms. Simran Anand, Programme Officer, MF NCR. Trustees of the Trust, Col. S. S. Ved and Mrs. Arti Sharma, were also present.
The initiative stemmed from an article on organ donation in the Times of India that Col. Ved had read a few days earlier. The article highlighted the acute shortage of organs in India, leading to numerous preventable deaths. Deeply moved, Col. Ved resolved to contribute to promoting organ donation, beginning with an awareness session for his staff. Ms. Deepshikha later contacted MOHAN Foundation through its website to arrange the session.
The GSK Foundation Trust is a philanthropic initiative dedicated to improving health and well-being through sustainable, community-focused programs. The Trust supports projects in healthcare, education, and social development, guided by values of care, responsibility, and long-term impact.
During the session, Ms. Simran introduced the concept of organ donation, sharing examples of the youngest and oldest donors ever recorded. A short film was screened to explain the concept of brain death, after which she clarified the role of consent in organ donation and outlined the legal steps involved in declaring brain death.
Topics covered included:
• Organ donation and its need
• Status of organ donation in India
• Organs that can be donated during life and after death
• Transplant law
• Brain death and cornea donation
• Contraindications to donation
• Role of MOHAN Foundation
• The public’s role in creating awareness
• Myths and facts about organ donation
• Causes of brain death and differences between brain death and coma
Participants raised thoughtful questions, including:
• What happens if a registered donor’s family refuses consent at the time of donation?
• Is organ retrieval conducted like a post-mortem?
• How long can each organ be preserved after retrieval?
Ms. Simran also explained the process of pledging to be an organ donor, the importance of family dialogue in donation decisions, and the significance of grief counselling in brain death cases. She further encouraged participants to actively engage in spreading awareness and supporting the cause.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Col. S. S. Ved.
Close to 70 people attended the program.
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