Tag: organ donation Goa

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Organ Donation Awareness Talk Held at Holy Family Church, Alto Porvorim

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

An organ donation awareness talk was held at Holy Family Church, Alto Porvorim, Goa, on December 14, 2025, with Gabriel Pereira, an Organ Donation Ambassador from the MOHAN Foundation, addressing parishioners on the importance of organ and tissue donation.

During the session, Gabriel shared his personal connection to the cause, explaining how a family member receiving an organ transplant six years ago inspired him to actively promote organ donation awareness. He provided an overview of how organ allocation is managed by SOTTO–Goa and explained the roles of ROTTO and NOTTO in ensuring a transparent and ethical transplant system in India.

Using a PowerPoint presentation, Gabriel explained key aspects of organ and tissue donation, including which organs and tissues can be donated in cases of circulatory death and brain stem death. He clarified the medical definition of brain stem death, highlighted the differences between coma and brain stem death, and walked the audience through the process of pledging to become an organ donor.

Approximately 20 flyers containing frequently asked questions on organ donation were distributed to the attendees to help enhance their understanding. Gabriel also stressed the importance of informing family members about one’s decision to donate organs, as family consent plays a crucial role in the donation process.

The session saw a positive response, with eight parishioners taking the pledge to donate their organs. The talk concluded with Gabriel expressing his gratitude to Fr. Adolfo Alvares, Parish Priest, and Fr. Boris Dias, Assistant Parish Priest, for facilitating the session and supporting the cause of organ donation.

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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.