Tag: healthcare education

EduConnect

B.Sc. Nursing Students Gain Exposure at Indian Red Cross Society Goa

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Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 

A group of 59 B.Sc. Nursing students, accompanied by two faculty members from the Nursing Institute, Bambolim, visited the State Headquarters of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Goa, in Panaji as part of an educational exposure programme.


The students were addressed by Gaurish Dhond, Chairman of the Indian Red Cross Society, Goa, who highlighted the core values of the Red Cross movement. He encouraged the students, as future healthcare professionals, to uphold principles of selfless service, compassion and dedication to duty. Dhond also provided an overview of the wide-ranging humanitarian activities undertaken by the Society, including disaster response, blood services and community welfare initiatives across the state.

Earlier, the General Secretary of the Society, John Aguiar, welcomed the students and faculty members. The visit included documentary films and presentations that offered a comprehensive understanding of the Red Cross’s global mission as well as its local operations and emergency response efforts.

The exposure visit aimed to sensitize nursing students to the importance of voluntary humanitarian work and inspire them to actively engage in community-based healthcare and social service initiatives in the future.

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Organ Donation Information Desk Set Up at Lourdes Convent High School; Blood Donation Camp Held in Saligao

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Written by Intern Rency Gomes || Team Allycaral 

Saligao, January 17, 2026: An organ donation information desk was set up at a blood donation camp organised by Lourdes Convent High School, Saligao, in collaboration with Loving Hearts Goa and the North Goa District Hospital (Asilo) blood bank.



The initiative was led by Mr Gabriel Pereira, an Organ Donation Ambassador with the MOHAN Foundation. The blood donation camp was sponsored by Peppy’s Goan Kitchen Caterers, Porvorim, and was held from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

The camp was formally inaugurated by the Headmistress of Lourdes Convent High School, Sr. Antonette Pereira, who lit the traditional lamp and led a welcome song, inviting parents to participate in the programme.

Loving Hearts Goa is a voluntary group founded by Mr Ranjit Rodrigues and comprises regular blood donors who organise blood donation camps across Goa. Mr Mark D’Souza serves as the President of the group, Mr Gabriel Pereira as Secretary, and Mrs Sanyukta Gawde as Treasurer. At every camp organised by the group, an organ donation information desk is set up to raise awareness on the importance of organ donation.

During the camp, Mr Pereira distributed approximately 36 informational flyers to donors, addressed frequently asked questions related to organ donation, and highlighted the importance of pledging to donate organs. The flyers also included a QR code enabling individuals to easily pledge as organ donors. As a result of this outreach, four individuals pledged to become organ donors.

At the conclusion of the event, Mr Pereira expressed his gratitude to Sr. Antonette Pereira, Mr Ranjit Rodrigues and Mr Mark D’Souza for their continued support of organ donation awareness initiatives and for their collaboration with the MOHAN Foundation.

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Rotary Club of Miramar Hosts Organ Donation Awareness Talk with MOHAN Foundation

Tanisha Cardozo

On September 26, 2025, the Rotary Club of Miramar in Panjim, Goa, hosted a compelling organ donation awareness talk as part of its regular club meeting. The session featured Mr. Gabriel Pereira, Organ Donation Ambassador with the MOHAN Foundation, and was coordinated by RTN Dr. Sandhya.

In a first for many attendees, the session also welcomed transplant recipients — Mr. Umesh Dhavalikar (liver), Mr. Mark Rocha, and Mr. Zeon Romano (both kidney) — who shared personal stories that humanized the conversation around organ donation. Their moving testimonies resonated deeply with the audience and offered firsthand insight into the challenges and triumphs of transplantation.

Mr. Pereira opened the session with a brief introduction to the MOHAN Foundation’s work both in Goa and nationally. He highlighted that around 80 individuals are currently on the waitlist for kidney transplants in the state, where only kidney and corneal tissue transplants are currently performed.

Using a detailed PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Pereira walked attendees through the core principles of organ donation — such as the definition of brain death, the legal necessity of family consent, and the possibility of donating tissues or the whole body in cases of circulatory death.

He also explained the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, shared information about licensed transplant hospitals in Goa, and outlined the simple procedure for acquiring an organ donor card.

The testimonies added a powerful emotional layer to the session. Mr. Dhavalikar, Mr. Rocha, and Mr. Romano spoke about the uncertainty and hope that defined their transplant journeys, reminding everyone present that every donor saves not one, but several lives.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Pereira thanked Mr. Sandesh Gadvi, President of the Rotary Club of Miramar, and all Rotarians for their support and warm hospitality. He expressed gratitude to the transplant recipients for their courage in sharing their stories, and reiterated MOHAN Foundation’s commitment to promoting awareness and increasing organ donor registrations across the country.