Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram
Life - a four letter word with a million permutations and combinations. To be alive, to breathe in the fresh air, to feel the raindrops on your cheek, to feel the soft grass beneath your feet and the light morning sun on your face, to love and be loved, are some of the most wonderful and innocent joys and wonders of the natural world God has given us.
Some of us, unfortunately, are denied these pleasures. The lack of certain senses or organs deprives these ailing individuals of the simple joys of life. These patients waiting for an organ are in a pitiable and hopeless situation and their pain is further elevated by the anxiety caused to their loved ones.
To help patients with organ failure get a renewed lease of life, MOHAN Foundation (Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network) was started by Dr. Sunil Shroff in the year 1997 in Chennai. On April 7th 2002, the Hyderabad office was launched and it has grown by leaps and bounds in the last ten years with Mrs. Lalitha Raghuram at the helm.
Public awareness programmes: Public education is the key to creating a positive attitude about organ donation. The Foundation has left no stone unturned in enlightening people about the need for and the process of organ donation. Thousands of brochures and donor cards have been distributed. Presentations have been made in hospitals, colleges, clubs and the corporate sector in order to sensitize the public about organ donation. Also, stalls have been put up at exhibitions in Karimnagar, Adilabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Kakinada, Eluru, Tirupati and other places in Andhra Pradesh. MOHAN Foundation has made sure that the message has spread far and wide. The Foundation has now grown to a stage where people have begun to invite them to deliver a small speech about organ donation at gatherings such as; birthday parties, anniversaries and similar events. People pledge to donate their organs on their special day. MOHAN Foundation has recently set up information centres in Guntur and Vijayawada.
The Foundation has received its very own Public Education Van, courtesy the Nagarjuna Foundation. The van, equipped with audio visual aids, is now used to make presentations on organ donation in various parts of the State.
Training: The most important thing about organ donation is communicating the idea that “Donation is possible”. When a family loses a loved one, trained personnel are needed to gently explain to the grieving family that organ donation, can save the lives of many others. MOHAN Foundation has extensive training programs, which trains Transplant Coordinators who are capable of broaching the subject of organ donation with sensitivity and clarity. 78 transplant coordinators have been trained through such training programs in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. A very successful Annual Transplant Coordinators’ Workshop with the theme “Learn, Share, Cherish” was held in Hyderabad in August 2010.
Media: The media has always been very supportive about the cause of organ donation and has done everything in its power to support MOHAN Foundation. The donor-centric stories carried by the media capture the generosity of the donor families and also send a powerful message about organ donation to the public.
A short film on organ donation in Telugu was released by Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji and cricketer VVS Laxman on 24th October, 2012. It was broadcast on MAA TV and various other television channels, following which the Foundation was inundated with telephone calls from people eager to pledge their organs. We thank each member of the media fraternity from the bottom of our hearts and hope for their continued support.
Many celebrities have shown unstinting support and solidarity for the cause of organ donation. Prominent personalities like Jayasudha; Amala Akkineni and renowned Cine Director, Rajamouli have endorsed for the cause of organ donation.
During the last ten years MOHAN Foundation, Hyderabad has facilitated the retrieval of 854 organs and tissues from 138 deceased donors.
Organs & Tissues
Heart Valves : 90
Pancreas : 02
Kidneys : 243
Liver : 99
Heart : 13
Corneas : 406
Lungs : 01
Total : 854
For the many patients with organ failure who have received a transplant, it has meant a new lease of life and an opportunity to live life to the fullest with their families.
Government of Andhra Pradesh initiated the deceased donor program under the banner of “Jeevandaan” since January 2013, and has been facilitating and taking care of organ distribution.
