On November 11, 2024, Mr. Gabriel Pereira, an Organ Donation Ambassador for the MOHAN Foundation, delivered an inspiring talk on organ donation at the Holy Family Church Hall in Porvorim, Goa. He was invited by Fr. Pedro Gama, the Dean of the Mapusa Deanery and Parish Priest of St. Anne’s Church in Para, Goa.
The audience comprised priests from 12 parishes and various institutes within the Mapusa Deanery, North Zone. This talk followed an earlier session that Mr. Pereira conducted for the Deans of the Archdiocese of Goa in July 2024. The Archdiocese of Goa is divided into three zones—North, Central, and South—and includes a total of 19 deaneries and approximately 159 parishes.
Mr. Pereira shared his personal journey and motivation for becoming an ambassador for organ donation, a commitment inspired by his sister-in-law’s experience with renal failure, which required a life-saving transplant. This experience ignited his dedication to educating and raising awareness in Goa about the importance of organ donation.
In his presentation, Mr. Pereira emphasized the significance of organ donation and encouraged the priests to invite the MOHAN Foundation to spread this message to their parishioners, highlighting the priests’ unique role in creating a lasting impact. Through a PowerPoint presentation, he covered key topics, including circulatory and brain stem death, the process of organ and tissue donation, organ allocation, green corridors, and how to obtain a donor card. He also outlined practical steps for becoming a donor, such as scanning a QR code on the MOHAN Foundation’s website or opting in for organ donation when applying for a driver’s license.
Approximately 40 priests attended the talk, and informational materials on organ donation were distributed, along with a proposal to conduct awareness talks in their respective parishes.
Mr. Pereira also recommended the film Aye Zindagi, now available on Zee5, which tells the story of Vinay, a software engineer diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, and his journey supported by grief counsellor Revathy Rajan. Inspired by a true story, the film highlights the decision by Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram, the Country Director of the MOHAN Foundation, and her family to donate their son’s organs following his passing.
Fr. Pedro Gama expressed his gratitude to Mr. Pereira and the MOHAN Foundation for their valuable efforts in promoting organ donation awareness.
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