It is soon going to be time for the Annual Transplant Coordinators' Workshop, an event that transplant coordinators across the country look forward to. The workshop is jointly organised by MOHAN Foundation and National Association of Transplant Coordinators (NATCO). The first two workshops were held in 2002 and 2003. The subsequent workshops have been supported by the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust.

The 3rd Annual Transplant Coordinators' Workshop was held in Care Hospitals, Hyderabad in August 2010. The theme of the workshop was 'Learn, Share and Cherish.' As the cadre of transplant coordinators is expanding, the workshop offered a platform to learn the latest in deceased organ donation, share with committed professionals one's successes and challenges, and cherish the fact that each one is a part of the wonderful cause of 'Gifting Life.'

The 4th Annual Transplant Coordinators' Workshop was held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi in October 2011 with the theme being 'Celebrate the Joy of Giving Life.' We were privileged to have Dr. Francis Delmonico , President - elect , The Transplantation Society and Dr. Abid Rizvi from the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation , Pakistan at the inauguration of the workshop. Dr. Delmonico said that transplant coordinators in India could become pioneers in creating an Asian Transplant Coordinators' Organisation like the one in Europe.

 This 5th Annual Transplant Coordinators' Workshop is to be held in Chennai this year. It is only fitting that, as we take the conference to the next level with international participation, we have it in Chennai because Tamil Nadu continues tolead the country in the deceased organ donation programme. From October 2008 to June 2012, there have been a total of 268 deceased organ donors from across the state and 1505 organs and tissues have been retrieved. The deceased organ donation programme calls for teamwork on a scale that few other medical scenarios demand. The team includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, intensivists, critical care physicians, the Forensic medicine department and the police, nurses, lab technicians, the administration etc. Coordinating with all of them is the responsibility of the transplant coordinators and their role is integral to the success of the programme.

This year the highlight of the workshop is the Asian perspective on organ donation.  Faculty from Malaysia, Korea and Bangladesh will be talking about the deceased organ donation programme in each of their countries and the role of transplant coordinators in facilitating the process. A wealth of experience sharing is something to look forward to in this workshop.

Please do join us in Chennai and participate in 'Asamjana – Coordinating the Gift of Life.' For more information, please visit www.mohanfoundation.org