Training to augment organ donation in India

MOHAN Foundation continues to create foot soldiers to boost organ donation in India

10th One Month Transplant Coordinator’s Training Programme held in Chennai

MOHAN Foundation conducted its 10th One Month Transplant Coordinators’ Training Programme from 2nd to 29th May 2019 in Chennai. A total of 52 candidates from Assam, Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu were present. The participants hailed from various professional backgrounds such as social work, medical sociology, nursing, Accident and Emergency Care Technology, and dialysis technology.

Advanced Transplant Coordinators’ Workshop 2019 held in Chennai

MOHAN Foundation in collaboration with the Network and Alliance of Transplant Coordinators (NATCO) organized an Advanced Transplant Coordinators’ Workshop on the 21st and 22nd June 2019 at Hotel Abu Sarovar Portico in Chennai.

Around 50 transplant coordinators and healthcare professionals from across the country participated in the workshop. Faculty was drawn from India as well as from overseas. Lectures were delivered via Skype by those who were unable to travel to the venue.

Shreya Siddanagowder, Asia's first upper arm double hand transplant recipient was the keynote speaker.

Shreya lost both her hands in a meaningless road accident in 2016 and finally underwent hand transplant a year later (thanks to the generosity of the parents of a young boy). One can tell after interacting with her, that she is determined to live life to the fullest and spread awareness on hand transplantation along with her amazing parents who have been her constant support through her entire journey so far.

MOHAN Foundation Mumbai receives an award from ZTCC Mumbai, on the occasion of its 19th anniversary

MOHAN Foundation was invited by ZTCC (Zonal Transplant Co-ordination Centre) Mumbai for an event marking the 19th anniversary of their foundation day (31st March 2019). This program was scheduled to felicitate the deceased donor families, all Transplant Coordinators, Hospital Administrators, Intensivists and NGO’s working selflessly in the field of Organ Donation. MOHAN Foundation also received the award for the substantial work done over past two decades and contributed in the field of Organ Donation.

Samarthan 2019 - A musical evening to create awareness on Organ donation

On March 02, 2019, MOHAN Foundation organized its annual awareness event, "SAMARTHAN 2019 – A Sufiyana Night with Nizami Bandhu’’ at Zorba, MG Road, New Delhi. The objective of the event was to create awareness around organ donation as well as to raise funds that would go towards the Foundation’s endeavour to ensure that organs are available for all those who are waiting for a life-saving transplant.

The main highlight of the event was the release of the compendium titled, ‘’You are the Clay, You are the Potter’’- a tribute to the Transplant Coordinators of India. The compendium is a collection of inspiring donor stories from Transplant Coordinators from hospitals across the country and stories of real heroes who are making efforts to boost organ donation. It has imbibed the essence of the quality of work done by transplant coordinators throughout the country.

More than 300 people attended the event showing their support towards organ donation.

4th AORTA-MOHAN Foundation training on TRANSPLANT COORDINATION held under the aegis of Office of DGMS (Army) IHQ of MoD (Army) & NOTTO

MOHAN Foundation in partnership with AORTA (Army Organ Retrieval & Transplantation Authority) successfully conducted the 4th Transplant Coordinators’ Workshop at Army Hospital (Research and Referral) Delhi Cantt, New Delhi. It was held under the aegis of Office of DGMS (Army) IHQ of MoD (Army) and NOTTO (National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization).  24 delegates that mainly included medical officers and nursing officers attended the training. There was representation from 13 states (Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh) and 2 Union Territories (Delhi and Chandigarh).

Critical Care Conclave Workshop held at Army Hospital (Research & Referral) New Delhi

MOHAN Foundation in partnership with AORTA (Army Organ Retrieval & Transplantation Authority) successfully conducted Critical Care Conclave Workshop on March 16, 2019 at Army Hospital (R&R) Delhi Cantt, New Delhi. The workshop was organized by Department of Nephrology, Army Hospital (R & R). 15 medical officers and critical care specialists from various services hospital across India attended the conclave.

MOHAN Foundation’s organ donation awareness campaign titled “Life Before Ashes” sweeps the IAA Olive Crown Awards 2019 with 3 Golds and a Silver

MOHAN Foundation’s bold and hard hitting campaign, “Life Before Ashes” bagged 3 Golds and a silver at the IAA Olive Crown Awards 2019. ZEE Entertainment’s Olive Crown Awards recognizes outstanding work in sustainability and the preservation of our ecosystem every year.

“Life Before Ashes” is a poignant yet hard-hitting message by MOHAN Foundation to spread a very simple message – ‘What has now become ashes, could have been another person’s heart or kidney or liver or eyes, if only they were donated. The travelling art installations in the shape of human organs such as the heart, kidney, liver and eyes, which were made from a mix of real human ashes and mud from the graves, were displayed at malls, hospitals, conferences, etc., through the country, thus spreading the message and motivating many more to take the pledge for donating their organs.

The awards were received in the following categories –

Press Services – GOLD

Events – GOLD

Out of Home – GOLD

Campaign of the Year – SILVER

5th National Organ Retrieval Workshop (Oxford course) held in Bengaluru

The 5th National Organ Retrieval Workshop (Oxford course) was held on 2^nd & 3^rd February 2019 at the M.S. Ramaiah Advanced Learning Centre, Bengaluru. This course was carefully designed in collaboration with international and national leaders in organ transplantation to train aspiring transplant surgeons in the techniques required for safe organ retrieval.

The Course Directors were Dr. Isabel Quiroga, Clinical Lead for Organ Retrieval, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK, Dr. Anand Subrahmanyam, Senior Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram, Bengaluru, Dr. Sonal Asthana, Consultant, HPB and Transplant Surgeon, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, and Dr. Catherine Dushyanthy Sudarshan, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK.

Varied Efforts to Promote Organ Donation

MOHAN Foundation conducts Tamil Nadu’s first Visual Arts Festival on Organ Donation

MOHAN Foundation, in association with Chennai Metro Rail Limited, organized a first of its kind Visual Arts Competition – LIFE 2.0 on the theme of Organ Donation for students from various schools and colleges in Chennai at the Vadapalani Metro Station. Close to 200 participants creatively used various art forms like paintings, graphics and installations to promote the cause and a thousand others were sensitized.

MOHAN Foundation’s ‘Transplant Coordinators’ Training Programme’ in top three finalists at the British Medical Journal Awards South Asia 2018 in Excellence in Medical Education category

MOHAN Foundation’s ‘Transplant Coordinators’ Training Programme’ was in the top three finalists at the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Awards South Asia 2018 in the category of Excellence in Medical Education. A total of 1575 nominations were received from nine countries - Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for 10 award categories in phase I. In phase II, 370 nominations were shortlisted. After a final phase of vetting, 30 finalists were picked to make presentations in front of a jury of clinicians, representatives of patients’ organizations, and members of the editorial team of The BMJ on 1^st December 2018 at The Hilton in Chennai.

Pramod Mahajan, a bike rider travels 15,000 km campaigning for organ donation

Mr Pramod Mahajan a 67-year-old farmer, who donated one of his kidneys to an army jawan of his village, undertook a 100-day solo bike tour covering 15000 km, across the length and breadth of our country to spread the message of organ donation.

Master Class on Soft Skills and Communication for Transplant Coordinators at AIIMS, New-Delhi Mohan Foundation organized a workshop on Soft Skills and Communication for Transplant Coordinators from all hospitals across NCR at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi. 

11th Annual Transplant Coordinators’ Conference at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru

Network and Alliance of Transplant Coordinators (NATCO), in association with MOHAN Foundation, held its 11th Annual Transplant Coordinators’ Conference at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru on 3rd and 4th December 2018. This year’s event also saw NATCO and MOHAN Foundation partnering with the International Association of Bioethics to conduct a conference on the theme of ‘Emerging Ethical Dilemmas in Organ Donation and Transplantation’. Furthermore, a symposium on ‘Organ Donation and Transplantation in a World of Inequality’ was organized by the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG) and the Foundation. More than 200 national and international participants including transplant coordinators, hospital administrators and individuals working towards promoting the cause were present.

Creative efforts to boost organ donation

Dr K. Jayanth Murali IPS, Director Vigilance and Anti-corruption, Tamil Nadu creates a new India Book of Records

Earlier this year, on July 22 2018, Dr Jayanth took up the monumental feat of running the Dream Runners Half Marathon with a tape duct on his mouth through-out the run to create awareness towards organ donation. With the completion of the half-marathon on above-described terms, he succeeded in creating a new India Book of Records. As a special gesture towards the cause of organ donation, Dr Jayanth dedicated the achieved record to MOHAN Foundation in the presence of Honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu at Raj Bhavan, Chennai.

MOHAN Foundation’s project “Gift Hope, Gift Life”, wins Gold at the SKOCH CSR Awards

On 19th September 2018, MOHAN Foundation’s project ‘Gift Hope, Gift Life – Augmenting deceased organ donation program in India’, was conferred with the SKOCH CSR GOLD award 2018 (Top Category), at Delhi.

The highlights of the project were the lives that were saved through the Organ Donation Toll-Free Helpline and through the training of transplant coordinators, doctors, nurses and surgeons in hospitals across India.

The ‘Life Before Ashes’ Campaign wins creative accolades and awards

‘What has now become ashes could have been another person’s heart or kidney, if only the organs were donated’. A set of human organ installations, in the shape of a heart, kidney, liver and eyes made from a mix of real human ashes and mud from the graves were part of an exhibition by MOHAN Foundation and have been on display at malls and hospitals all across India.

The campaign won the ‘Creative Campaign of the Year’ award at the Big Bang Awards 2018, while also winning 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze medals in various other categories. At the Abby’s 2018, it won 2 Gold medals along with 7 Silvers, in categories including Print, Print Craft, Out of Home, Ambient, PR, Branded Content as well as Integrated. It also won 2 Golds at the Outdoor Advertising Convention Awards 2018.

MOHAN Foundation organizes its First Masterclass in Soft Skills and Communication for Healthcare Professionals

On Saturday, October 27th 2018, MOHAN Foundation organized its first one-day masterclass in Soft Skills and Communication for healthcare professionals, especially in the field of organ donation and transplantation, in Chennai. This masterclass was aimed at improving practical skills such as soft skills and communication, self-expectations, communication guidelines, presentation pointers, body language, team building, conflict resolving, accountability, and stress management.

One Week Transplant Coordinators’ Training Programme successfully held in Ahmedabad

Under the aegis of National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and ROTTO-SOTTO Mumbai, MOHAN Foundation conducted a one-week Transplant Coordinators’ Training Programme from September 25-29, 2018 at Zydus Hospitals, Ahmedabad. There were 33 participants from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Assam and Manipur. This was the 56^th training programme conducted by MOHAN Foundation and the 22^nd in partnership with NOTTO.    

Inclusion of organ donor option in driving license application form welcomed

The Union Ministry of Road Transport in an advisory last month had asked all Regional Transport Offices (RTO) across the country to add a column in the application form for Driving License (DL) so that an applicant could express his willingness to donate organs. MOHAN Foundation Jaipur Citizen Forum (MFJCF) had been pursuing the cause with the Union Transport and Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari since 2016. In the present times, a pledge to donate organ becomes very significant, as there is less than one organ donor in a million in India and over three million deaths have been recorded since 2005 due to non-availability of organs. This will help in easing the process, create awareness and also encourage people to donate organs.

 Training officers & nurses from the Armed Forces 

MOHAN Foundation in partnership with AORTA (Army Organ Retrieval & Transplant Authority) under the aegis of NOTTO (National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization) supported by Office of DGMS (Army) IHQ of MoD (Army) successfully completed the training on Transplant Coordination from August 7-11, 2018. 41 delegates, both service officers and nurses, from 14 different states attended the training.

MOHAN USA and American Society of Transplantation: Pioneering the Cause of Improving Organ Donation Rates among Minorities

MOHAN USA, in association with the American Society of Transplantation (AST), organized a special event on the 2^nd of June 2018 at Seattle, Washington. The educational event, titled, 'Strategies to Increase Awareness and Organ Donation Rates Amongst Minorities' coincided with the American Transplant Congress, the largest gathering of over 5,000 transplant professionals from all over the world, being held in the same city.

A lively discussion ensued at the end of the lectures about potential strategies to increase organ donation among minorities, especially South Asians, who have a significant burden of disease, but a low organ donor registration and consent rate. Based on the personal experiences of the experts present at the meeting, it was felt that there is a great need to engage this community in this process and reach out to them at the grass root level to increase their participation in both organ donation and registration.

Dr. K. Jayanth Murali (Indian Police Service), duct taped his mouth while running a marathon to spread awareness about Organ Donation

During the Dream Runners Marathon in Chennai on July 22, 2018, MOHAN Foundation organized an enrollment drive for organ donation.   This time as a special gesture towards the cause of organ donation, Dr. K. Jayanth Murali, an IPS officer, in an effort to create awareness on organ donation, attempted to create a new record by running the entire length of half marathon by duct taping his mouth. When the mouth is taped the only option to breathe in, is through the nose and this makes running especially long distances extremely difficult. He covered the distance of 21 km in 2 hours.   This special run was announced to the 4000 runners, to get them motivated for the cause.