After retiring from a rewarding career as a bedside nurse last December, Debi Curtis of west suburban Darien sought find a way she could continue giving back to others. During this stage of her life as a grandmother, she desired to be around kids – but her grandchildren live 300 miles away. 

She recalled a former patient who was granted a wish, and how much joy it brought to the family and as they lived through the Make-A-Wish experience firsthand. Helping grant more wishes through Make-A-Wish Illinois provided the perfect opportunity for her to thrive in this new life stage while supporting children like the patients she once helped. 

Before starting as a wish granter, she thought letting people, including other medical professionals like herself, know about Make-A-Wish would be how she helped. Soon, she found herself wanting to work with children directly. She fulfilled her first wish as a volunteer wish granter in May of 2022 and in the next year, she granted five more wishes. Most recently, she was excited to deliver a puppy and all the necessary accessories as a child’s wish. 

While shopping for those puppy accessories, Debi met a former Make-A-Wish child who worked at PetSmart where she and the wish family were shopping. “The gentleman was 40ish years old. He said when he was a kid, he had leukemia and went to Disney World. I thought that was really cool. You keep finding more and more people that are involved with the organization – it's been around for such a long time.”

The Benefits of Volunteering

As a volunteer for Make-A-Wish, Debi has discovered a perspective and a new level of appreciation for the work and the families she meets.

“The kids that I work with now at Make-A-Wish are so resilient,” Debi said. “They have so much strength and watching their families you see they really need support.” 

Debi is also bilingual, helping to ease the process for families whose primary language is Spanish. Being a part of this organization and making a difference in families’ lives has proven to be just what Debi was looking for as a volunteer. Getting to know the families has also brought her joy.

“I am thrilled to have been a part of all their wishes.”