On 18th August 2021, MOHAN Foundation was invited by Stella Maris College, Chennai to deliver an organ donation awareness talk for the for NSS and YRC Volunteers of the college, as part of the Organ Donation Day observance. There were around 150 volunteers present during this virtual event.

The event began with a prayer song and a warm introduction of the guest speaker, Dr. Hemal Kanvinde, Quality Assurance Officer of MOHAN Foundation. Following that a video about MOHAN Foundation’s mission and vision was played. Dr. Hemal then addressed the students about eye, skin, and organ donation, types of donors, circulatory death, brain stem death, organs or tissues that can be donated after circulatory death/brain death, how eye and skin donation can be done at home, etc.

The session was interactive as Dr Hemal prompted the students to think by posing many questions. She informed the students about how brain stem death is different from coma, causes of brain stem death, who can donate organs, age limit in deceased donation, ischemic time for solid organs after their retrieval, Transplantation of Human Organs Act and penalties for those who violate the law, voluntary body donation, need for and importance of organ donation, myths/misconceptions on organ donation and shared some newspaper clippings of two successful composite tissue allotransplant recipients. She concluded her talk by explaining MOHAN Foundation’s donor card and some creative ways to promote organ donation.

Following this, Ms. Elizabeth Prasanna, Programme Associate of MOHAN Foundation shared with the students, ways to get involved with the Foundation and its mission. She spoke about the e-learning courses offered and the Foundation’s other initiatives like volunteering program, internship, ambassador Program, Life Membership, and advocacy.

Dr. Hemal answered many questions that ranged from requirements to become a volunteer at the Foundation, cost of transplantation, blood donation in case of thyroid.

The event ended with two inspirational videos about successful organ transplant recipients to encourage the students in promoting the noble cause, being played for the audience.