On Friday, February 27, 2026, Mr Gabriel Pereira, an Organ Donation Ambassador for the MOHAN Foundation, conducted an organ donation awareness session for the staff of Sethu - Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance in Saliago, Goa.
Sethu was founded in 2005 by Dr Nandita de Souza, a developmental paediatrician, along with five other advocates for inclusion. The organisation was established with the conviction that all children, especially the most vulnerable, deserve a fair chance to realise their potential.
Gabriel introduced himself as an organ donation ambassador for the MOHAN Foundation, where he conducts awareness sessions throughout the state. He has also participated in events such as Purple Fest and the Carnival, where he set up information kiosks. His journey into organ donation advocacy began after experiencing kidney failure in his family, which led him to learn about the importance of organ donation.
During the session, he delivered a PowerPoint presentation that covered a range of topics, including:
- An introduction to the MOHAN Foundation
- The reasons to support organ donation
- Details about circulatory death and what can be donated in these circumstances
- Information on brain death and what can be donated in these circumstances
- The difference between organ and tissue donation, as well as voluntary body donation
- The transplant hospitals in the state and the specific organs or tissues that can be transplanted
- The roles of SOTTO (State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation) in the state, along with ROTTO (Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation) and NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization)
Gabriel showed a video explaining the concept of brain death. He also mentioned that he would provide a presentation video, which includes an animated short film by Shweta Gupta, an explainer on brain death, as well as a film produced by ROTTO/SOTTO Mumbai. The material would help the participants understand the concept and process of organ donation.
At the end of the session, he distributed 30 flyers answering frequently asked questions to all attendees. During the session the attendees also had the opportunity to take donor cards.
Gabriel Pereira expressed his gratitude to Dr Nandita de Souza, the Director and Developmental & Behavioural Paediatrician, for allowing the MOHAN Foundation to conduct this session, and to Mr Sidney Fernandes, Senior Administrator, who coordinated the program.
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