California: Shanti Marks 35 Years of Caring

Founded in 1974 to provide emotional and practical support to cancer patients, Shanti's model of care left it well-positioned to respond in the 1980s when AIDS began devastating the Bay Area's gay male population. Today Shanti, whose name is Sanskrit for "inner peace" or "tranquility," still trains volunteers to care for people with life-threatening and chronic diseases.

"Our clients are isolated and don't have family or friends," said Kaushik Roy, who in April became the agency's executive director. "They rely on Shanti to have one compassionate person in their lives. No one should face a serious or life-threatening illness by themselves."

In the 1990s, Shanti expanded its care to include women with breast cancer, and this summer, returning to its roots, launched a support group for gay and bisexual men with cancer. "The idea of peer-to-peer counseling is applicable to so many things," noted Roy, who has made it a priority to grow individual giving in response to diminishing government support.

Since 2007, individual financial contributions to Shanti have increased 33 percent. The agency currently has 30 full-time employees and an annual $2.4 million budget. "I am feeling positive about the future of the agency," said Roy.

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Shanti marks its 35th anniversary with a celebration in Japantown at the Hotel Kabuki. For more information, visit www.shanti.org.

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