Students for Organ Donation, a new student organization oncampus, registered 206 people for organ donations at their drive onThursday.

The organization broke the world record of 145 registrations ineight-hours, organization officials said.

Students for Organ Donation is a “results orientedorganization and its goal is to register as many people for organdonation as possible,” said first-year Sarah McKinnon,co-founder of the organization.

A total of 17 universities across the United States are puttingin exact same organizations, McKinnon said. SMU was the seconduniversity to establish the organization.

“Every single person that registers for organ donation hasthe potential to save up to eight lives and improve up to50,” said McKinnon and fellow first-year and co-founder BrentTurman in an e-mail sent out to Southern Methodist Universitystudents.

McKinnon and Turman also said in their e-mail that over 82,000Americans are currently awaiting organ and tissue donations.

Both McKinnon and Turman had personal reasons to start an organdonation association at SMU.

“My dad had a heart attack over fall break,” Turmansaid. “He received a heart transplant in February.”

McKinnon has a good friend who is awaiting a heart and lungtransplant.

However, many people don’t become organ donors becausethey are led to believe that doctors will not work as hard to keepthem alive. According to McKinnon, doctors have no way of knowingif a person is a registered organ donor.

“That kind of information is left with the hospitaladministration,” she said.

Brianna Brackett, who registered to become a donor at the drive,says she is not too worried about the stories she has heard aboutorgan donors.

“I heard the rumors that they don’t try to savepeople who are organ donors,” she said. “I don’tthink it’s true.”

There are minimal risks associated with becoming an organ donor,but let your family know of your wish before registering, advisedboth McKinnon and Turman.

“Let your next of kin know,” Turman said.”That’s the most important thing.”

Students for Organ Donation, which is sponsored by SPARC, willbecome a chartered organization next week, McKinnon said.