Who deserves the heart?

Ethical dilemmas in medicine are common, and doctors need to constantly making decisions on the care of patients to deliver the best overall outcome. However, sometimes, there is no right choice, and doctors must make tough decisions.

So here's a moral dilemma for you:

You're a doctor at the local, small hospital. You've seen an uptick in heart issues lately, and there's 5 people who need to have a heart transplant. They all need it immediately, and they all will die without it. Here's the problem: there's a single heart in the organ bank. The good thing is, they are all compatible with the heart, but now you have to decide who lives and who dies. Here are the patients down below:

1. Maria, 39 yrs old

   She's an elementary school teacher and a single mother of three.

   She's never smoked, used any drugs, or drank alcohol. She had a rare autoimmune disorder forcing her to get a new heart.

   With the disorder, she will live more than 25 years longer.

2. James, 22 yrs old

   He's a college athlete who has a scholarship, and he is aspiring to become a biomedical researcher.

   He was a very healthy kid before myocarditis hurt his heart beyond repair.

   He will likely lead a full life with a transplanted heart

3. Richard, 72 yrs old

   He's a rich, retired tech CEO and political donor and a billionaire.

   He's smoked all his life and lived through a cancer diagnosis 6 years ago.

   His prognosis is moderate, he's already old and his medical history worsen his chances.

   He says he will donate $250 million to the hospital if he receives the transplant.

4. Carlos, 47 yrs old

   He was formerly a gang member but now is a youth mentor.

   He used to use drugs heavily but now has been clean for 7 years.

   He will live a long life if he receives the heart.

5. Olivia, 8 yrs old

   She is in elementary school and was born with a congenital heart defect.

   She already has one failed surgery.

   The prognosis isn't good or bad-if the surgery fails, she will die.

   If the surgery succeeds, she will lead a full life.

Who should get the heart? Let me know down in the comments below. Instead of just writing one person's name, make a list of the most deserving to the least deserving of the heart. Thank you for reading!