On 25^th September 2019, MOHAN Foundation conducted an awareness programme on organ donation for the staff of Mobile Tutor Private Limited. Mobile Tutor is an app-based learning platform with offices in Chennai and Bangalore. The event was organized to commemorate the birthday of the CEO and around 60 staff attended.

 

The session began with a welcome address by Ms Margaret, HR followed by Mr. Shenbaga Raj, VP – Academics introducing MOHAN Foundation, its mission and vision, activities, training initiatives and achievements. He also introduced Ms Ishwarya who was the resource person.

Ishwarya began her talk with the importance of blood and eye donation. Mr. Raj shared his experience of being witness to an eye donation in the family. Ishwarya then spoke on the following topics in detail:

• Organ failure and causes
• Circulatory and brain death
• Difference between brain death and coma
• Types of donors
• Organ and tissue donation while living and after death
• Hand and uterus transplants
• How are the donated tissues used
• Age criteria to donate organs
• The time period for organ retrieval
• Importance of family consent in organ donation process
• The organ donation process in hospital and Green Corridor
• Transplant waitlist, organ allocation and TRANSTAN
• Transplantation of Human Organs Act
• Offences and penalties related to malpractices
• Statistics related to accidents, organ donation rates
• Myths and misconceptions around organ donation
• Contraindications to being an organ donor
• Cost of transplant surgeries
• Voluntary body donation
• Celebrities who have pledged

 

Ms Radhika from HR, already registered as an organ donor, shared with the audience what made her do so. A few questions that were asked:

• Is preference given to an organ failure patient if someone in the family is registered as an organ donor or has donated earlier?
• Could a deceased donor’s organs be donated to a relative suffering from organ failure?
• What are the health and fitness criteria that make someone an eligible donor?
• Is it possible to use organs retrieved from children for transplantation in adults?

 

Mr Senthil Kumar, VP delivered the vote of thanks and mentioned that the session helped them learn many new things and gave good clarity on the subject. Around 4 people signed up as organ donors. MOHAN Foundation is thankful to Mobile Tutor for the opportunity.