Organ Donation Awareness Talk Held at St. Francis Xavier Church, Pirna, Colvale

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

An organ donation awareness talk was conducted at St. Francis Xavier Church in Pirna, Colvale, Goa, on December 14, 2025, with the aim of educating parishioners about the importance of organ and tissue donation. The session was led by Mr. Gabriel Pereira, an Organ Donation Ambassador from the MOHAN Foundation, who has been actively working to spread awareness across parishes in the region.

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Mr. Pereira shared that this initiative followed an earlier awareness session conducted for priests of the Mapusa Deanery under the Archdiocese of Goa. Encouraged by the response, the MOHAN Foundation was invited to conduct similar talks across 12 parishes. So far, sessions have been successfully completed in five parishes, with seven more planned in the coming months.

Introducing himself to the gathering, Mr. Pereira spoke about his role as an Organ Donation Ambassador and his mission to motivate individuals and families to support organ donation. He encouraged parishioners to not only consider pledging themselves but also to help spread awareness within their communities.

During the session, he explained that organ donation is possible only in cases of brain death, while individuals who pass away at home can still contribute through tissue donation. He elaborated on various tissue donation options, including skin, corneas and whole body donation, addressing common doubts and misconceptions.

Mr. Pereira also highlighted the role of the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) in Goa and shared information on patients currently awaiting organ transplants in the state. He noted that kidney and corneal transplants are presently the only transplant procedures carried out in Goa.

The session concluded with the distribution of informational flyers containing frequently asked questions to all 50 attendees. Mr. Pereira expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Fr. Alvito Cardzo, OFM Cap, Parish Priest of St. Francis Xavier Church, for providing the opportunity to address the parish community on this vital and life-saving subject.