On January 14, 2022, MOHAN Foundation was invited to conduct an online awareness session on organ donation for the Rotarians of Rotary Club Vasudha District-3054, Udaipur, Rajasthan. The special session was organized by Dr. Sushma Arora, President, Rotary Club Vasudha District-3054 & an Organ Donation Ambassador to commemorate the festival of “Makar Sankranti”.

 

This is the second session organized by Dr. Sushma. The first was organized in the month of July 2021 which was a success and its huge response motivated her to organize this special session. Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi was invited as the speaker.

 

The session was attended by the members of various NGOs & schools in Udaipur such as Time Bank of India-Udaipur chapter, Scholars Foundation, Inspiro and Happy Om Senior Secondary School. A student from London, UK, who is a daughter of a Rotarian of Rotary Club Vasudha District-3054 also attended the session.

 

Rotary Club Vasudha District-3054 was chartered in 2018. The club currently has 20 passionate social and professional female leaders who are committed to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace in the society.

 

At the beginning of the session, Dr. Sushma welcomed all the participants and gave a brief introduction of the topic of the session. She explained the importance of “Daan” (donations) made on the auspicious day “Makar Sankranti” and said the session was a part of celebration of Makar Sankranti in a unique way, where the audience will learn how to live after death through “Gift a life-Donate Organs”. With an inspiring slogan “Zindagi Milegi Dobara” which gives a beautiful message that a person can be re-born after death through organ donation. He can live in others through his donated organs. Dr. Sushma then invited Dr. Muneet to begin her talk.

 

Dr. Muneet explained the basic concepts of organ donation and transplantation with the help of a simple PowerPoint presentation. The following topics were explained in detail:

• Organ donation and its need
• When and how does organ donation take place
• Organs that can be donated during life and after death
• The transplant waiting list in India
• Brain death
• Difference between brain death and coma
• Contraindications to organ donation
• Transplant Law
• Role of MOHAN Foundation
• Organ donation Myths and Facts
• Eye Donation

 

A short movie was also shown to the audience to give clarity on “brain death” and to enumerate the difference between coma and brain death. The participants were interactive during the presentation and asked many questions. To name a few:

• Can a 100-year-old person donate his organs?
• Can we donate organs after natural death?
• What is the difference between brain death and natural death?
• Who is the legal guardian for giving consent for organ donation of a deceased person?
• Is there any common number for organ donation like 108 for ambulance?
• How and when can we donate our bodies?
• How can I pledge my organs?
• Tell us something about the unique transplant performed in USA. A pig’s heart was transplanted to a human body.

 

Dr. Muneet also explained the process of eye donation. She informed the participants that eye donation is a simple procedure that can be even done at home. She motivated the participants to begin with promoting eye donation in their respective areas. She also explained the importance of Donor Card. She said that it acts as an icebreaker for the doctors to initiate conversation with the families of a potential brain-dead person for organ donation if a donor card is found on the deceased person. She informed the audience that a donor card must always be carried as it acts as an identity proof and shows a person’s willingness to donate organs upon death.

 

During the presentation, one of the participants Mr. Kundan Bhatewara, President-Scholars Foundation gave special mention of MOHAN Foundation Jaipur Citizen Forum (MFJCF) and appreciated their extraordinary work in the field of organ donation. He shared with the participants that many people in Udaipur are interested to pledge for organ donation and to donate their loved one’s organs after death going by the number of calls their office receives every day regarding the same. He also informed that a few hospitals in Udaipur are now applying for a license to start organ transplantation.

 

At the end, Dr. Sushma gave the vote of thanks. She said the session was very informative. She shared with the audience that her entire family had signed up for organ donation and motivated the audience to pledge for the same. She also expressed her interest in collaborating with MOHAN Foundation and other local NGOs to organize awareness sessions on a larger scale in the near future.

 

Mrs. Sandhya Aggarwal, one of the trained Ambassador of Organ Donation by MOHAN Foundation was also part of the session. She said that the session was very informative, and it gave her confidence to organize such awareness sessions in her respective area.

 

Feedback from the audience:

 

Beautiful presentation

Wonderful presentation, Dr. Muneet

Amazing session

 

Close to 30 participants attended the session.