On August 23, 2025, Mr. Gabriel Pereira, Organ Donation Ambassador with MOHAN Foundation, delivered a talk on organ donation at Fr. Agnel Central School, Pilar, Goa.
The Principal, Fr. Jacob Shally V. SFX, informed Mr. Pereira that the entire school would attend the session as part of the Ganesh festival program that day.
Mr. Pereira introduced himself and explained the work of MOHAN Foundation in Goa, sharing his personal motivation for advocating organ donation. To engage the students, he asked about the transplant hospitals in Goa and the types of organs or tissues that can be transplanted. He noted that currently only kidney and corneal transplants are performed in the state and provided information about the licensed hospitals conducting these procedures.
He clarified that individuals who die at home can donate tissues or whole bodies (circulatory death), but organ donation following brain stem death requires family consent. He explained the process for brain stem death declaration, usually involving patients who suffer road traffic accidents or brain haemorrhages, assessed by a panel of four doctors through two tests conducted six hours apart.
Mr. Pereira also advised students to remind their parents to wear helmets, even for short rides. He highlighted that in Goa, around 80 people are currently awaiting kidney transplants, emphasizing that a single “yes” can provide the “Gift of Life.”
Nearly 500 students attended the session, each receiving an informational flyer addressing common questions about organ donation.
In closing, Mr. Pereira expressed heartfelt gratitude to Fr. Jacob Shally V. SFX, the teachers, and the students for supporting this vital cause and wished everyone a joyful Ganesh Chaturthi.
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