For her 50th birthday in February, Debbie Lange-Kessler did not want gifts but, instead, donations made to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina. Her family and friends donated $600 in her name.

Ever since volunteering for the organization last year, the Durham mother of five and grandmother of two has wanted to help any way she can.

Lange-Kessler works as a fleet manager for a chemical company and a part-time waitress. She had already donated money to Make-A-Wish when she read that the organization needed volunteers. She had never volunteered for a nonprofit before and was nervous at first "because these kids have life-threatening diseases."

"Was it going to be sad?" she wondered. "It was not that at all."

The reason for that is that she helps grant the wishes. "We are the happy news people," she said. "It's like Christmas" for the children.

While none of the children she has worked with has passed away, she knows it can happen. "I try not to think about it," Lange-Kessler said. She instead wants to think about creating the "ultimate wish" for each child.

A child can be referred to Make-A-Wish from a medical professional or parent, or the child may do it herself or himself. Foundation staff contact the physician to verify the child has a life-threatening condition. At that point, children who qualify meet with two "wish makers" such as Lange-Kessler to discuss their wishes.

The organization covers a large part of the state, and Lange-Kessler has volunteered to drive to Roanoke Rapids, Fayetteville and Oxford (in addition to working in Durham and Chapel Hill ).

"I cannot limit my traveling, because there are kids everywhere that need us to bring them the happiness that a wish gives them," she said.

After meeting the child, staff at Make-A-Wish work on fulfilling the wish and raising money to pay for it. Once that is complete, the wish makers come back to give the child the wish.

The average cost of a wish is $6,200, according to Ziva Raney, president and CEO of the Eastern North Carolina Branch. The reason for the high cost is that she wants the child to experience "wishes out of this world."

To announce to her first child that he would be going to Disney World, Lange-Kessler gave him an ice cream party and handed the parents the all-expenses-paid itinerary. The kid was absolutely excited when she showed up to grant him the wish. While some parents tell their children that the wish makers are coming, his did not.

"Most kids love going to Disney," said Lange-Kessler, who has granted wishes to two children to go there and is working on two others.

Other wishes she is working on include a beach trip for a child who has never seen the ocean and a trip to see the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team (which was initiated before they won the NBA championship). With the child was told they were working on making his Lakers trip a reality, "He got pretty excited," Lange-Kessler said. "He didn't think we could even do that."

This will be a record-breaking year for the chapter. Raney predicts it will grant around 190 wishes for the fiscal year that ends in August, about 30 more than last year. In June, members granted 32 wishes, beating the previous monthly record of 24.

It can take from six to nine months to complete a wish.

"I do this because I feel very, very fortunate and blessed that I have such a wonderful life," Lange-Kessler said. "I wanted to do something to give back, do something for these kids and their families that puts a smile on their face and gives them something to look forward to."

"She's just been an amazing volunteer on all fronts," said Raney.