So when Angela Smith and her family decided to donate their mother's organs after her passing last year, they had no expectations.
But this didn't stop the rewards from flowing in.
For the Scarsdale resident, the decision to donate was the most meaningful and rewarding experience of her life.
Her mother's kidneys and liver were used for three organ transplants, saving the lives of three different people.
"She hadn't registered as an organ donor but we had talked to her about it," Ms Smith said.
"It's (organ donation) a gift you cannot purchase. You can't win it in a raffle. I certainly know if it was me and I was waiting for an organ, I'd take it.
"We've never second guessed the decision and I know with her being the giving person she was, she would have said yes."
At a time of utmost grief, hospital staff were conducting blood tests and asking personal questions of the family.
Ms Smith said the process was bittersweet, with the end result outweighing any feelings of discomfort experienced at the time.
"I urge people to put themselves in another person's position who does require organ donation," she said.
"Everyone deserves a second chance in everything they do and if we could get a second chance at life, any of us would take it."
Ms Smith's 11-year-old daughter Katey Reid has also expressed her willingness to donate her organs, even if she isn't old enough to register as a donor.
"We've talked about it before and I put myself in other people's shoes to see how they would feel," she said.
For more information about organ donation, visit www.donatelife.gov.au
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