A deceased donor is often someone who has suffered a fatal injury to the head or had Brain Haemorrhage. She/He is declared brain stem dead by a group of medical experts in a hospital. The donor's family has to give consent for the donation before the process of organ retrieval can be carried out.

Donating an organ may also cause mental health issues, such as symptoms of anxiety and depression. The donated organ may not work properly in the recipient and cause feelings of regret, anger or resentment in the donor. The known health risks associated with living-organ donation vary according to the type of donation.