Sixty people gathered at Irving Gym Thursday to see if they could save a fellow student's life.
The Ball State Athletics Department and Ball Memorial Hospital held a blood and bone marrow drive for Ball State golfer and student Justin Cross.
Cross is suffering from lymphoblastic leukemia.
"I think this is awesome," Cross said about the athletic department's hard work in honor of him. "I didn't expect any of this."
Within the seven hours of the drive 89 people donated blood, each giving one pint, Sharon Rhodes, donor services coordinator for Ball Memorial Hospital's blood bank said. The blood collected will be used for the community blood supply.
The drive was successful using up all the supplies brought for collecting bone marrow.
"We only had supplies for 60," Rhodes said. "We have found matches in the past, but you just never know."
The $96 registration fee for bone marrow testing was paid for by the Ball Memorial Hospital Foundation and the National Marrow Donor Program. This fee allowed for only 60 people to be tested.
All bone marrow donors would be checked to see if they were a match with Cross and could also be checked for possible matches with other people needing donors.
"This is a big commitment for people because even if they're not a match for me they could be for someone else," Cross said about all the people who were donating bone marrow.
The golf team, friends of Cross and concerned students, faculty and Muncie residents all turned out to support Cross.
"Justin's my neighbor and I heard about his illness through the golf team," senior Lisa Dames said.
Dames brought her friend, Yasmin Dalal, along to see if she could be a possible match for Cross.
"It just seemed like a good thing to do for somebody," Ball State alumna Anissa Conley said.
Conley heard about Cross through the newspaper and decided to come out and donate.
"It made all the difference to get the word out," Rhodes said. Rhodes thought the turnout at the drive was very good.
"This has been very moving for the staff to see all the friends he has," Rhodes said with tears in her eyes.
Cross was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia in 1999. After going into remission, he continued his academic and athletic career at Ball State only for his illness to return this past spring.
He's been receiving numerous chemotherapy treatments which have left bruises covering his legs and often leaving him feeling nauseous and weak.
"I take each day five minutes at a time," Cross said.
However, he said he felt pretty good the day of the drive.
"Justin has remained very strong throughout this," Mike Fleck, head coach of men's golf said.
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