MOHAN Foundations team and the Transplant Coordinator from Medanta - The Medicity held awareness sessions on Organ Donation in 4 offices of “Le Passage” across Delhi and Noida on October 22 – 23, 2012.
These sessions were held under the aegis of Col Anil Alagh, General Manager – Corporate Social Responsibility. He had been to Medanta to avail medical services and read the standees displayed in the lobby on organ donation. He then approached the Transplant Coordinator for more information on the subject and invited the team for an awareness talk for the employees of his company. His belief in the cause of organ donation, initiative taken by him and the personal rapport with his team, lead to a large turnout during the sessions. A total of 4 sessions were held in their offices across Delhi and Noida, spread over two days i.e. October 22nd and 23rd, 2012.
First day sessions were taken by Dr Muneet Sahi and Seema Yadav. Information on concepts and laws relating to organ donation and transplantation was given in a powerpoint presentation. Following which there were many queries relating to organ sharing amongst hospitals, recipient and donor waiting list, central/state registry and the differences in the scenario between North India and South India. Many individuals had personal questions related to transplantation because of their loved ones suffering from liver/kidney diseases for whom the doctors have advised organ transplant. A brain dead patient giving a new lease of life to 8-9 individuals was also shared following which an audio video presentation on “Brain Death” was shown. The attendees in the first and second session were 20 and 11 respectively. Most of them pledged their organs by taking the organ donor cards.
Second day sessions were taken by Pallavi Kumar and Seema Yadav at both their office locations in Noida. The response was overwhelming with a total of 65 and 70 staff members attended the talk respectively at each of the locations. A lot of questions were raised on how organs are stored, shared, distributed etc. There were concerns around organ wastage that were clarified. Most of the people present collected the donor card, many took extra cards for their family and relatives.
One of the attendees shared her personal experience with the team. She had very recently donated her liver to her father. What was remarkable was that she was engaged to be married when this happened and her husband and in-laws supported her decision. Both she and her father are doing well but she broke down while sharing as she recalled the trauma that the family went through. This sharing proved to be a very strong message to the rest of the group.
About Le Passage:
Le Passage is India’s leading Destination Management Company that is not only a leader in the inbound tourism sector but has also forayed into India’s extensive Domestic & Outbound tourism market. It is the only travel conglomerate in India to have a dedicated CSR department in the form of a Foundation, Le Passage Travel Foundation, aka Shaping Lives with a mandate to ‘spread smiles’ and create opportunities for social interaction between the foreign tourist and well researched grass root level NGOs working for children, senior citizens and animals. Shaping Lives also mandates itself to create goodwill within the employees and encourage them on a path of goodness and giving through various philanthropic events and awareness exposures.