MOHAN Foundation conducted an awareness session on Organ Donation for the staff and teachers of St. Joseph's School, Greater Noida on July 2, 2016 for the teachers. The talk was coordinated by Fr.Joseph Manipadam (Secretary, Catholic Bishops' Conference of India) after he had a meeting with Mareena Thomas, Programme Officer Delhi NCR. Before coordinating for the talk he himself signed up to be an organ donor.

 

St. Joseph's School is an un-aided Christian minority institution owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Agra Education Society with the motto: "To work and serve in Love". The principal Fr. Matthew was very welcoming of the idea to create awareness on organ donation for the teachers and included the session as part of a training program for them.

 

It was interesting to see that only 1 teacher out of 150 had pledged to be an organ donor. When asked if anyone knew someone who had undergone the transplant, many hands were raised. One of them also shared that the recipient she knew had got the organ through an unknown donor, though she was unaware of the procedure.  On this Mareena stressed upon the THOTA Act 2011, according to which selling and buying of organs is completely illegal and punishable under the law. She also thoroughly clarified that on how brain death and coma are completely different and that a person who is brain dead is dead.

 

Mareena brought out the thought on how being an organ donor is an opportunity and not an obligation. She explained that a person can donate organs only in the case of brain death and that the organs need to be in a healthy condition. So if one is able to be an organ donor she/he is considered more fortunate to be able to have a chance to make their death meaningful by giving many others another chance of life. She also stressed on the basic steps that needs to be carried out to in the case of eye donation. Mareena also pointed out that it is mandatory that the family agrees with one's wish to donate organs. It is only when the family gives the consent for organ donation that the process for the same can be carried out.

 

One of the teachers came up to Mareena after the session with tears in her eyes and shared the condition of her husband who needs a kidney transplant and how she was not a matching donor. Mareena explained to her the possibility of swap donation.

 

By the end of the session important numbers were given out that one could keep handy such as for whole body donation and eye donation. Participants also appreciated the communication of such a complex subject in the easiest way possible.

 

150 teachers attended the session and 71 donor cards were picked up.