Jay Schottenstein, owner of American Signature Furniture, arranged to give Nottage a $50,000 van customized to fit two wheelchairs and complete with a TV and DVD player. It allowed Nottage to find a new, higher-paying job with benefits and the freedom to take her kids wherever they need to go.

''The kids love it,'' Nottage said. ``We are so, so blessed.''

The need is even greater this year in a weak economy and with growing numbers of people unemployed and uninsured.

''A downturn in the economy makes life harder for all of us. For the less fortunate among us, however, it can be a crushing blow,'' said Elissa Vanaver, vice president of human resources for The Miami Herald Media Co.

''That's why our Wish Book campaign is more important than ever this year,'' Vanaver said. ``Wish Book connects The Herald's power to tell stories with the generosity of our readers on behalf of those who need our help the most.''

Perhaps Wish Book's greatest beneficiary last year was Darío Martinez, the Cuban-born medical student with acute lymphocytic leukemia, a devastating form of the cancer most commonly seen in children.

Days after receiving the diagnosis, Martinez learned his wife was pregnant with their second child. His medical knowledge kept his optimism grounded -- Martinez thought he was going to die.

''It was the worst feeling in the world, to know I was dying and think I would never see my daughter,'' Martinez said.

But after his story appeared in Wish Book, Martinez's fate began to change, thanks to the kindness of strangers. People sent donations to help pay his medical bills, and he received the bone-marrow transplant he needed to survive.

So far, he's making a remarkable recovery, building up his immune system while his wife, Kirenia Yrma, takes a hiatus from nursing school to be his caregiver. A biopsy earlier this month came back negative for cancer cells.

''I feel like a new person, and I keep getting better every day,'' he said.

Martinez says he is taking one day at a time, but he already has his sights set on the future. He plans to complete his medical studies at New Jersey's Ross University and go on to a residency in obstetrics and gynecology -- he wants to bring new lives into the world.

''I saw a lot of friends lose their fights with cancer, and it makes me realize how incredibly blessed I am to be here today,'' Martinez said. ``I owe so many people my deepest gratitude.''

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