On July 7, 2026, as part of Organ Donation Awareness Month, the MOHAN Foundation conducted an interactive organ donation awareness session at St. Briget's Nursing Institute (a project of Caritas – Goa), Aldona, Goa. The session was led by Gabriel Pereira, Organ Donation Ambassador, who has dedicated himself to creating awareness about the importance of organ donation across Goa.
Gabriel began by introducing himself and sharing his personal journey of becoming an Organ Donation Ambassador. He informed the 30 students that he has conducted nearly 200 organ donation awareness talks, information sessions, and outreach programmes across the state, spreading the message of hope through organ donation.
To encourage active participation, Gabriel engaged the nursing students with questions about organ transplantation in Goa, including identifying the transplant hospitals in the state and the various organs and tissues that can be transplanted. Students who answered correctly were rewarded with pens, making the session both educational and interactive.
Using a PowerPoint presentation, Gabriel explained the difference between tissue donation and organ donation. He highlighted that after circulatory death, tissue donation and whole-body donation are possible, whereas organ donation can take place only after a person is declared brain dead. He also explained the legal framework governing organ donation in India, including the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act. He spoke about the significance of July as Organ Donation Awareness Month, leading up to National Organ Donation Day on August 3. He shared the historical significance of the day, noting that it commemorates the country's first successful heart transplant.
The session witnessed enthusiastic interaction between Gabriel and the students, with several questions and discussions throughout.
Recognising that the audience comprised future nurses, Gabriel also stressed the importance of preventive healthcare and self-care. He encouraged the students to undergo regular health check-ups, including ultrasound scans that can help detect conditions such as kidney stones, fatty liver, enlarged prostate, and uterine fibroids. He also highlighted the importance of regular kidney function tests, monitoring creatinine levels, checking for protein in urine, and scheduling routine eye examinations. As home nurses, he encouraged them to educate the families they care for about the value of preventive health screening and early diagnosis.
At the conclusion of the programme, Gabriel expressed his sincere gratitude to Principal Sister Anna for inviting the MOHAN Foundation for the third time to address the nursing students on the vital subject of organ donation. He thanked the management, faculty, and students for their enthusiastic participation and hoped they would become ambassadors for organ donation within their families and communities.
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