On June 30, 2023, MOHAN Foundation conducted an awareness session on organ donation for NCC girls’ cadets during their Combined Annual Training Camp (CATC) at NCC Group H.Q. Delhi C, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi. Ms. Dinesh Kumari, Girls Cadets Inspector, H.Q., Delhi C, Safdarjung Enclave, coordinated the session. Girl’s cadets from various colleges of Delhi University participated in the session. Ms. Simran Anand, Programme Officer, MOHAN Foundation, NCR, was the resource person and Ms. Preeti Goswami, Programme Officer, MF, NCR, and Mr. Sanchit Arora, MF intern, accompanied her.

 

Ms. Simran began the session by asking the participants about their understanding of organ donation. She then explained the concept of organ donation to the participants. She discussed with them organs that can be donated after natural death and brain death and asked the cadets about their perceptions of donation after death. She also discussed the MOHAN Foundation's role and how youth can serve as ambassadors for the cause of organ donation.

 

The following topics were addressed:

 

• Organ donation and its need

• 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

• 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

 

The participants were interactive during the session and shared their experiences about organ donation. One participant shared her family’s experience with the living donation of her grandmother, who donated a portion of her liver to her brother. Another participant shared how she pledged for organ donation during an awareness camp at her college. Participants asked many questions. To name a few:

 

• What is the difference between brain death and a coma?

• Do organ donations mutilate the body?

• Is the consent of the family important?

• Can blood be purchased?

• Can a person also survive with one lung?

 

Participants were between the ages of 19 and 22, or in their second and final year of high school. Close to 240 students were present at the session.