HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Derrick Nix helped Southern Mississippi win dozens of games during his stellar four-year career.

Now, the university is helping Nix battle a kidney disease that ended his football career.

Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini announced Friday that a fund is being established by the university to pay some of the running back's medical bills.

The fund, established through the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation, is designed not only to help Nix, but any student athlete not covered by insurance.

"Southern Miss is a family. When a member of our family is in need, we will take care of our family. We will take care of Derrick Nix," Giannini said.

Nix was diagnosed with a degenerative kidney disease in December.

A less severe form of the ailment forced Nix to miss most of the 2000 season and all of 2001. But he returned to action in 2002 and ran for over 1,000 yards for the third time in his career.

Symptoms of the disease re-emerged after the regular season, and tests revealed his condition had worsened.

Nix, 22, is undergoing hemodialysis three times a week, a form of dialysis treatment that is administered at an outpatient dialysis clinic.

Dr. John Thornton, the nephrologist treating Nix, said Nix will eventually be converted to a peritoneal dialysis, a home-based form of treatment.

The long-term goal is for Nix to receive a kidney transplant.

"The purpose of this fund is in conjunction with the long-term goal of a transplant," Thornton said. "It will be to help with the financial assistance of the transplant and with the medication associated with that."

Thornton said the transplant process comes in three stages.

First, Nix must be accepted as a viable candidate for a transplant. After that, family members and friends would begin testing to find a suitable kidney for the transplant. The final stage is transplant and recovery.

Nix, from Attalla, Ala., was joined at the news conference by his parents, older brother, Tyrone, who is Southern Miss' defensive coordinator, and Golden Eagles coach Jeff Bowers.

"You don't realize how much you mean to people until something happens," Nix said. "I love this university and everybody here. This was kind of a tough situation for me to handle at first, but with so much love, it is like I am still playing. I just need another 2 yards for the first down, and that is how I will persevere and keep on going."

Nix ran for 1,184 yards and 11 touchdowns, despite nagging injuries last season. He was also taking medication to control the initial kidney disorder.

Doctors have said playing last season did not cause Nix's kidneys deteriorate.

"So often, the ones who get challenged and have to fight through situations like Derrick is going through now are the ones who can overcome it," Bower said. "I have no doubt about this young man's character and toughness."

Nix finished his career 12 yards shy of becoming Southern Miss' all-time leading rusher.

Originally published Saturday, January 18, 2003