On December 12, 2024, Rotary Club Rishikesh Divas, in collaboration with the Rishikesh Eye Bank, AIIMS Rishikesh, Rotary Club Doon Ganga, and MOHAN Foundation, organized an organ donation awareness program at Sri Sai Baba International Public School, Chidderwala, Dehradun. The event was held at the invitation of Ms. Preeti Sharma, Director, and Ms. Bhavna Kaushal, Program Coordinator of the school.
The program featured an eye check-up camp, a poster-making competition, and an awareness session on organ donation.
The session's speakers included Mr. Mahipal Chuohan, Manager at Rishikesh Eye Bank, AIIMS Rishikesh, and Mr. Sanchit Arora, Project Leader at MOHAN Foundation, stationed at AIIMS Rishikesh. Participants comprised Rotary Club members, school staff, and students.
Mr. Chuohan began the session by highlighting the accomplishments of the Rishikesh Eye Bank and explaining the process of eye and skin donations. He described how donations can be facilitated at home following a death and emphasized the urgent need, noting that while 500,000 blind individuals require eye donations annually, only 150,000 donations are made.
Mr. Arora focused on the inclusivity of organ donation, emphasizing that donors can be of any race, religion, or age. He cited inspiring examples, such as India’s oldest organ donor, Sh. Tej Ram, aged 88, a 70-hour-old infant donor, and a 60-hour-old neonate whole-body donor. He provided an in-depth overview of organ donation in India, covering the following topics:
• What organ donation is and why it is important
• Who can be an organ donor
• Live and deceased donors
• Organ donation during life and after death
• Brain death vs. coma
• Skin donation
• The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994
• Whole-body donation
• Living kidney transplantation facilities at AIIMS Rishikesh
• Myths and facts about organ donation
• How individuals can contribute to the cause
• Goals and objectives of MOHAN Foundation and the Anudaan initiative
Mr. Arora concluded by urging participants to consider organ donation after discussing it with their families, friends, and colleagues.
Over 100 students received eye examinations at the camp, organized in partnership with Rishikesh Eye Bank, AIIMS Rishikesh. Meanwhile, more than 70 students from Class 10 and above participated in the poster-making competition, creatively depicting the importance of organ donation. The top four winners received medals and prizes.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Jain, who expressed gratitude to all organizers, speakers, and attendees for making the event a success.
This awareness program left a lasting impact by educating close to 200 participants about the significance of organ and tissue donation while encouraging them to contribute to this noble cause.
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