Basketball Day Thrills Young Kidney Transplant Survivor
Seven-year-old Matthew Goodwin and the Tulane men's basketball team both had an unforgettable day on Dec. 30, when Goodwin, a kidney transplant survivor and Green Wave fan, spent the day with the team.
Matthew Goodwin, center, spends time with men's basketball head coach Dave Dickerson, right, and Yotam Yemini, left, director of basketball operations. (Photo by Celeste Goodwin)
The heartwarming story of the little Greenie's progress from surgery a year ago to his day of basketball is the subject of an article and video by Brian Miller, associate athletics communications director, on the Green Wave website.
Members of the Tulane team had thrilled Goodwin when they visited him at Children's Hospital as he recuperated from kidney surgery on Dec. 30, 2008.
On his day-long visit with the team a year later, the youngster had his own locker in the Tulane locker room, ate the pre-game meal, led the Green Wave out of the tunnel onto the floor before the start of the game and sat on the bench during the entire game.
It was a memorable day for the student-athletes and coaches, as well as the Goodwin family.
