On December 29, 2018, MOHAN Foundation conducted an awareness talk on organ donation for NCC cadets organised by 12th Haryana Bn, NCC at Moti Lal Nehru Sports School, Rai, Sonepat, Haryana. Col. Sandeep Chaudhary Commanding Officer 12 Haryana Bn organized the session and Dr. (Ms.) Pallavi Rekhi (Programme Officer, MOHAN Foundation Delhi-NCR) coordinated it. Ms. Anindita Sabath (Transplant Coordinator, MOHAN Foundation Delhi-NCR) was the resource person. This was the second session with MOHAN Foundaton organized by Col. Chaudhary. The first one was held on July 25, 2018.

 

NCC is an Indian military cadet corps with its headquarters at New Delhi. It is open to school and college students on voluntary basis. National Cadet Corps is a Tri-Services Organization comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force, engaged in grooming the youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens. NCC is a voluntary organization which recruits cadets from high schools, college and universities all over India. The cadets are given basic military training in small arms and parades. Apart from military training the cadets also take part in social activities that are structured to inspire and encourage them to participate voluntarily towards improvement of their physical and social environment and channelize their energies in the task of nation building. One such activity that has been included in their curriculum from this year has been to sensitize the cadets towards eye and organ donation.

 

Ms. Anindita began the session by asking the participants a few introductory questions on organ donation to have an understanding of their knowledge quotient regarding the subject. Then she went on to explain the need to talk about and promote organ donation and transplantation. She cleared their confusion regarding the organs & tissues that can be donated after circulatory death and brain death respectively.

 

The cadets were enthusiastic and had a wide range of queries like:

• Can a transplanted cornea be reused for another patient?
• Can poor people afford organ transplants?
• How can we pledge to be an organ donor?
• Can a live donor lead a normal life after donating an organ?
• If I take the decision to donate organs for a good cause, should my organ not go to a needy or poor person?

 

At the end, Col Sandeep Chaudhary thanked the MOHAN Foundation representatives for conducting a very informative session and explained to the cadets the objective behind organizing such a session.

 

Close to 450 cadets attended the session and approximately 20 forms (Form-7) were picked up.