On January 13th, 2022, SBI Foundation, the CSR arm of State Bank of India organized a webinar ‘FROM DUST TO LIFE’ – an awareness workshop on Organ Donation, for the staff members of the SBI’s Bhopal Circle. This webinar is a part of launch of Project Gift Hope, Gift Life that aims at enhancing organ donation in India, initiated by MOHAN Foundation and supported by SBI Foundation.

To begin with, Mr. Kumar Mishra, CGM of SBI Bhopal branch spoke a few words about the project Gift Hope Gift Life and said, “There can be no better gift than giving a life to others”.

Ms. Manjula Kalyanasundaram, CEO and Managing Director of SBI Foundation welcomed the dignitaries of SBI and employees of SBI Bhopal circle and MOHAN Foundation team. Ms. Juhi Ranjan of SBI Foundation moderated the webinar.

Ms. Jaya Jairam introduced herself and MOHAN Foundation. She explained the concept ‘FROM DUST TO LIFE’

She then asked the participants to take a moment and think about how they personally felt about organ donation.

Thereafter she discussed the following topics and provided information with examples.

• Why donate organs? – There is a scarcity of organ donation in India, which causes a huge gap between the need and availability of organs.
• Power of organ donation - a touching video of a testimonial by a heart recipient who expressed gratitude to the donor family was played
• Who can donate?  According to law the difference between

             1. Living donor

             2. Deceased donor

• How THOA has classified related and unrelated donors?
• Concept of brain death, which was new to many of them, was explained in detail.
• What can be donated after brain death and circulatory death?
• Eye and Skin donation and its procedures were explained in a simple way
• Scenario of organ donation in India Vis-à-vis rest of the world
• Some of the myths and facts were discussed in detail
• MOHAN Foundation Helpline number was displayed to the participants.

Lastly, a video clipping of Chairman of SBI – Mr. Dinesh Khara speaking about the importance of improving awareness amongst public, during the launch of Project Gift Hope, Gift Life was played. The video also demonstrated as to how SBI’s employees could pledge their organs through SBI’s own HRMS portal. Details of how their families and friends could take the pledge using SBI Foundation’s microsite www.sbif.organdonor.in was shared.

1007 participants participated in the session. Ms. Jaya Jairam shared her own life experience of how her mother saved her life by donated one kidney to her.

Questions asked by the participants

1. Is it mandatary to have a donor card to donate organs?
2. Can I donate my organs to a preferred person, after my death?
3. Who can be benefited by organ transplant and how?
4. What is the cost of organ transplant?
5. Will confidentiality be maintained if I donate my organs?

Mr. Lalit Mohan – COO (SBI Foundation) thanked Ms. Jaya Jairam, Ms. Manjula Kalyanasundaram and everyone who attended the session.

We thank SBI Foundation for organizing this event and supporting us.