As the clock counts down 15-year-old Michael Martin chases down a pass before going up for a shot during a basketball game at Patagonia Union High School. Lobos fans cheer him on, not just for the critical points needed but because many of them know what this young man has had to go through to be there on the court.

On Oct. 21, 2009, Michael underwent a kidney transplant at Phoenix Children’s Hospital due to a condition known as polycystic kidney disease. His mother, Laura Mattox, who donated her kidney for the procedure, said it was the first time Mayo Clinic Phoenix/Scottsdale had ever transported a kidney from that facility. 

“We made history,” said Laura, who recalled that a police escort surrounded the transport vehicle as it made the 36-mile trip through the Phoenix metro area. 

Nogales International, by JB Miller, 2-19-2010

Tags: Mayo Clinic Arizona, Transplant