Online Awareness Session on Organ Donation Conducted for the Students of Class 6th to 9th in Collaboration with Rotary Club of Jodhpur Garima

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  Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi talking about myths related to organ donation

  

  Participants being shown a video on the concept of brain death

  

  Student participants of the online awareness session

  On August 12, 2021, MOHAN Foundation was invited to conduct an online awareness session on organ donation for the Interact Club Members of Alma Mater School, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The session was initiated by Rotary Club Jodhpur Garima President Ms. Sonal Gothi who came across the concept of organ donation two years back when she was the secretary of the club. She subsequently came across MOHAN Foundation and connected with the members of the Foundation to conduct a program on organ donation awareness on 13^th August. In the past two years she has attended several organ donation awareness sessions and finally this year MOHAN Foundation and Rotary club Jodhpur Garima collaborated to conduct an online session for organ donation awareness. From MOHAN Foundation Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi was invited to conduct the session for the students.

   

  This session was conducted to introduce the students’ members (aged 12-18yrs) of the Interact club to the concept of organ donation as part of a project to create awareness about organ donation through social media. The students of class 6^th to 9^th who were members of the Rotary Interact Club of Alma mater School and their teachers attended the session.

   

  The online session was opened by Rotary Club of Jodhpur Garima President, Ms. Sonal Gothi, who welcomed the participants (students and teachers of Alma Mater School, Jodhpur) and Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi. Ms. Mili Tater, Vice president- Rotary Club of Jodhpur Garima introduced Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi, Programme Manager, MOHAN Foundation as the speaker for the evening and invited her to commence with the session.

   

  Dr. Muneet explained the concept of organ donation with the help of a PowerPoint presentation. She initiated the session by asking the students according to them why do we need to donate organs, to which the students gave enthusiastic answers. Dr. Muneet then also informed the students of some facts regarding the oldest and eldest recorded donor in the history. She also shed light on blood donation and what makes it different from organ donation. Since the students were underaged Dr. Muneet explained in detail the concept of consent related to organ donation and stressed upon the fact that a donor card is not a legal document. A short informative film was shown to the audience to explain the concept of “brain death”.

   

  The following topics were explained in detail:  

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

   

  The students attending the session were inquisitive and asked a lot of questions about the concepts related to organ donation. These were some of the queries: 

  • Can the donor decide beforehand that they want to donate organs after death?
  • Why is the donation rate of Tamil Nadu as a state higher than that of India?
  • What are the criteria to donate corneas?
  • How many maximum organs can one donate after brain death?
  • Can we sign up online for pledging organs?
  • Can we donate organs if we have taken the pledge several years before brain death occurs?
  • Can I sign a consent to donate my organs if something goes wrong during a risky medical procedure?
  • How can I volunteer?
  • What happens if the family refuses for donation of a pledged donor?
  • Can we make a legal document to enforce our wish to donate organs?
  • What is the status of transplants done in COVID -19 pandemic?  
  • Can a brain-dead donor who had COVID- 19 donate organs?

   

  While concluding the session Ms. Mili Tater asked the students to share their ideas on how they can spread awareness about organ donation. Some of the ideas that the students came up with were:

  • Informative posters uploaded on popular sites, social networking sites
  • Videos of donor families on social media
  • Awareness by word of mouth
  • Use of informative banners

   

  Ms. Mili also suggested that they can have chat sessions among students, educate school principals and take up awareness-based projects. She thanked Dr. Muneet for a great session and urged everyone to join hands and take up the task of spreading awareness about organ donation and its importance. Dr. Muneet in her closing remarks talked about how students can be a part of this awareness movement by joining the angels of change programme of MOHAN Foundation, she further remarked that she was honored to interact with such an interactive and inquisitive audience.

   

  Feedback from the audience:

  • Wonderful session
  • Very informative session
  • Thank you, mam for informing us about this
  • A highly informative and wonderful session, thanks a lot for sharing this valuable information regarding organ donation!
  • Thankyou mam for educating us about the possibility of organ donation after death
  • I learnt something new today – liver can regenerate!
  • Thankyou for this session mam, all my doubts were answered
  • Thankyou mam for spreading awareness about this
  • Grateful for this informative session

   

  Close to 52 participants attended the session. 

  
  
  Source-Dr. Sanaa Bhadwal