Life’s Unsolvable Problems

In September 1992, 10-year-old Nicholas Martin underwent a double-lung transplant, a procedure still relatively new in pediatric surgery. Due to the immunosuppressants associated with anti-rejection drugs, he also battled lymphoma. After a second double-lung transplant this past July, the University of Toronto math student contracted pneumonia. He died, at the age of 19, five days later.

Now, through a math scholarship, Martin’s legacy will be one of learning, something he cherished in life. An anonymous gift from a family friend will fund the Nicholas Martin Prize. It will be awarded annually to a student in the first-year “pure math” course for specialists who demonstrates high achievement and leadership and also inspires excellence among classmates. “Nicholas was a real ‘mathie,'” says the donor, “but a number of us agreed that we didn’t want it to be a prize for a nerd who gets 100 per cent in the pure math course but can’t talk to anyone, because Nick was very communicative.” Donations to the Nicholas Martin Prize may be sent to the department of mathematics.