PANAJI
Gabriel Pereira, an Organ Donation Ambassador with the MOHAN Foundation, conducted an awareness session on organ donation for the parishioners of St. Francis Xavier Church in Chicalim, Goa on November 26. Pereira met with Fr Bolmax Pereira, the Parish Priest of the church, to request this talk, which was scheduled during the novena dedicated to the sick. The nine-day Novenas of St. Francis Xavier began on November 24, and will conclude with the feast on December 3. Innacio, a parishioner, welcomed Gabriel on behalf of the parish priest and parishioners. During the session, Pereira shared that his mission to promote organ donation began after experiencing kidney failure in his family. He explained that people need to understand organ donation, as consent from families is crucial for the process. He highlighted the importance of brain stem death for organ donation and urged parishioners to wear helmets while riding two-wheelers. Pereira discussed the role of licensed hospitals in Goa, mentioning which organ and tissue are transplanted and the oversight provided by the National, Regional, and State Organ Tissue Transplant Organisations. Currently, there are 83 individuals on the transplant waiting list in Goa. John, who is also a parishioner, shared his testimony about donating his kidney to his daughter, giving her a true gift of life.
