Candidates awaiting a donor organ find themselves in a dilemma. They hope for transplantation, and the possibility for renewed life and health that it promises. But they are also aware that someone else must die before an organ will be available for transplant. Candidates also know that others wish for and need the same donor organ as they. At times, candidates feel that they will benefit only from the misfortune of others. It is not unusual to find yourself fantasizing about an accident that will make an organ available for transplant. These can be disturbing thoughts to notice on your mind. They arouse guilt in some candidates.
Logic suggests that there is no reason to confuse your wishing for a donor organ with wishing for another person's misfortune. Your thoughts will in no way influence what will happen to another person. Many surveys suggest that people appreciate the idea that after death, their organs may grant life to another person. The ability to transplant organs provides a tangible meaning to death that has not previously been available. You cannot stop yourself from wanting to recover from illness. You might as well try to reassure yourself that such thoughts are normal and not reason to feel guilty.