Federal, state, and hospital authorities have joined forces to advocate for organ donation among Mexican immigrants and Hispanics throughout New York, the state with the longest waiting list for organ donations in the nation.

"Our goal is to increase the number of candidates for organ donation after death," said Dr. Nirav R. Shah, health commissioner of New York State. Dr. Shah added that people can register to be an organ donor on the Internet, or after obtaining a driver's license.

"They only have to say that they want to be on the list of organ donors and a red heart will be printed on their license, which shows they are a donor," said Shah. The number of Mexicans registered on the list has fallen; however, the New York Organ Donor Network hopes that more Mexicans will register with time.

"We have some, it's not a lot, but we think that in time, more people will register," said Julia E. Rivera, the communications director of the New York Organ Donor Network.