"It's incredibly rewarding. I enjoy it immensely," said Van Dyke of her work matching hopeful parents with a baby they have dreamed of, often for many years. "It's very, very exciting when they have a baby come home."

"I also enjoy being active and I want to do whatever I can to continue staying active," said Van Dyke, 56, who has osteoporosis and suspects it also affected her grandmother, who was frail and had a dowager's hump.

Van Dyke actively manages her osteoporosis with medication, a healthy diet, and regular weight-bearing exercise.

In her free time, Van Dyke is off walking through the trails of her hometown in Ashland, Oregon, training for her next marathon. On an average week, she'll walk two to six miles every day, building up as the race nears to a longer walk once a week. She's even shared her heel-worn wisdom by coaching a neighbor to successfully walk the San Francisco Marathon. Now Van Dyke is training daily for the upcoming Portland Marathon.