“Do you know your rights?” - An awareness talk on organ donation was organized by trainees from the Department of Social Work (SFS), Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Chennai, on 8^th March 2014 (Women’s Day) for members of self-help groups in Vengaivasal, Chennai. Around 300 members came together for the occasion.

The guests of honour were Mrs. Sujatha Niranjan, Manager, Information Systems, MOHAN Foundation, Chennai and Mrs. Saroja, lawyer, Consumer Action Group (CAG), Chennai.

The programme started with the inaugural session with  igniting  of the lamp  by Mrs. Saroja, Mrs. Sujatha Niranjan, Dr. Hemal Kanvinde of University Women’s Association  and Sister Daisy and Mrs. Ammu from The Society of Daughter of Mary Immaculate.

 

Soon after inaugural Mrs. Sujatha covered following topics: importance of organ donation, types of donations – live and deceased donation; difference between coma, cardiac death and brain death, organs that can be donated, preservation time of organs and activities of MOHAN Foundation.

 

Mrs. Saroja addressed the gathering about rights of women. She began with her experience of her close family member donating corneas. She also touched upon laws related to organ donation- Transplantation of Human organs Act, 1994. Statistical data as well as live incidents were discussed. She then discussed the rights of women – personal and at their workplace. She encouraged all women to take their own decisions.  

 

The women wanted to know more about cornea donation and brain death.

 

The celebrations ended with lively cultural performances - a street theatre and a solo-song performance by Bachelors of Social Work students from Madras Christian College, Chennai

 

All women participated in the signature campaign showing their support to organ donation and collected the donor card.