MOHAN Foundation was invited to conduct an awareness session on organ donation at Oerlikon Drive Systems, Greater Noida on November 10, 2017. The resource person for the program was Dr. Muneet Kaur Sahi, Programme Manager and was accompanied by Ms. Mareena Thomas, Programme Officer, Delhi-NCR. The talk was organized through the initiative of Mr. Vivek Prakash Head of Oerlikon Drive Systems, a relative of Ms. Pallavi Kumar, Executive Director and a well-wisher of the foundation. It was coordinated by Priyanka Sinha, Assistant General Manager – Human Resources and Ms. Swati Sharma from the HR.

The session was well received by the participants who found it to be very informative. Dr. Muneet explained how organ donation is possible only in case of brain death. Brain death is defined as the irreversible loss of all functions of the brain, including the brainstem. The three essential findings in brain death are coma, absence of brainstem reflexes, and apnoea. An evaluation for brain death should be considered in patients who have suffered a massive, irreversible brain injury of identifiable cause. A patient determined to be brain dead is legally and clinically dead. She also busted few myths that general public has about organ donation.

One of the participant shared with the group that he lost his wife few months back due to brain haemorrhage. After understanding the concept of brain death, he felt that his wife was probably brain dead though the doctors did not give clarity on it and never mentioned organ donation. Dr. Muneet tried explaining by sharing incidents where family members have reacted very negatively, sometimes roughing up doctors, if they don’t understand brain death and are asked for organ donation. So, if the doctors are not confident on the how the family would react, the subject of organ donation is avoided. There was another participant who had pledged to be an organ donor with MOHAN Foundation through Times of India initiative. Such information and revelation by their own colleagues left the participants humbled and encouraged to take up the cause. Few were also interested to get trained as Angels of Change volunteers for organ donation.

While there were 35 participants a total of 46 donor cards were picked up. Many took donor cards for their family members.