However hundreds of Kiwis have chosen to support Auckland woman Jessica Manning, 25, who has started a petition to make organ donation mandatory.
Manning has been told she will die within two years if she does not have a double organ transplant. She is hoping the petition will start families talking about whether or not they want to be organ donors.
Even though the number of people donating organs in New Zealand has doubled over the last five years, Organ Donation NZ said more were needed.
On average, there were 550 people waiting for an organ transplant at any one time and the largest and longest wait was for kidneys.
Rotorua heart recipient Wiremu Keepa said while he sympathised with Manning, he did not support mandatory organ donation.
"I know from experience where this young woman is coming from," Keepa said.
"Although I was fortunate enough to be fit and well right up until I was put on the list - at that point I was given three months to live.
"I'd gone up to the cemetery and picked my plot, I'd had the talks I needed to have with family, I was prepared to die. But I was one of the lucky ones."
Keepa said as soon as something became mandatory people did a 180 degree turn in the opposite direction.
"I would like to see people from Organ Donation NZ and the Heart Foundation spreading more information about donation. I've told them Māori people won't come to them and ask questions, they need to get out there and share information.
"And the best place to korero is on the marae."
He said he also supported what George said in regard to talking with whānau.
"You really have to get that sorted otherwise what can happen is tantamount to a dying person's wish being refused - when the family say no."
