On July 2, 2025, Mr. Gabriel Pereira, Organ Donation Ambassador from MOHAN Foundation, conducted an awareness talk on organ donation during the Aldona Deanery Priestly Meeting held at St. Rita of Cascia Chapel, Carona, Goa.
The audience comprised priests from eight parishes and various institutes within the Aldona Deanery, North Zone. This session followed an earlier talk that Mr. Pereira had conducted for the Deans of the Archdiocese of Goa in July 2024. The Archdiocese of Goa is divided into three zones—North, Central, and South—and includes a total of 19 deaneries and approximately 159 parishes.
The Dean, Rev. Fr. Mario Leitao, Parish Priest of St. Sebastian's Church, Calvim, welcomed Mr. Pereira and shared with the priests the reason for inviting him to speak on the subject of organ donation.
During the session, Mr. Pereira shared his personal journey and motivation for becoming an ambassador for organ donation, a commitment inspired by his sister-in-law’s experience with renal failure, which required a life-saving transplant. This experience ignited his dedication to educating and raising awareness in Goa about the importance of organ donation.
He mentioned that, sharing the same name as Archangel Gabriel—known for delivering important messages—he felt it was his mission to promote organ donation among the people of Goa. Noting that July is recognised as Organ Donation Month, leading up to Indian Organ Donation Day on August 3, 2025, Gabriel requested the priests to invite him to their parishes to help raise awareness on this cause.
Approximately ten priests attended the session. Informational materials on organ donation were distributed, along with a proposal to conduct awareness talks in their respective parishes.
During the talk, Mr. Pereira discussed brain death, circulatory death, and the potential for organ donation, as well as the transplant hospitals available in Goa.
Mr. Pereira concluded by thanking Rev. Fr. Mario Leitao for the opportunity to allow MOHAN Foundation to conduct the awareness talk.
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