Two years ago -- as Danis Badiou faced cancer surgery in the Bay Area -- the Kingsburg Cancer Volunteers quietly offered him a gas card. It was to help him pay for the many trips he was making from his home in Kingsburg to the Veterans Administration hospital in Palo Alto. "I didn't ask for it, but I was very grateful," said Badiou, 66. He had never heard of the group, a nonprofit that has raised more than $100,000 to help about 100 Kingsburg residents since 1993. Like many cancer patients aided by the volunteers, Badiou now helps the group as best he can.

He volunteers at its largest annual fund-raising event: a barbecue chicken dinner held in December during Kingsburg's Santa Lucia Festival. The dinner raises about $6,000 each year, and will be Dec. 5 this year at Kingsburg Community Church.

"I consider it a privilege for them to let me help," said Badiou.

Kingsburg Cancer Volunteers relies on word-of-mouth to find patients. "We're never happy to get new people, but we're happy we can be there for them," said Nancy Fry, president of the group.

None of the officers or members get paid, and the organization's overhead is small, said treasurer Cheryl Rocha. Money raised in Kingsburg stays in town to help residents with cancer, she added.

The organization helps cancer patients in several ways:

l Provides dining out coupons, gift cards for groceries and gas cards for trips to doctor's appointments and treatment.

l Assists with rent and utilities if income is lost during treatment and recovery.

l Helps pays for prescription drugs.

l Arranges rides to doctor's offices and treatment. (Kingsburg Cancer Volunteers will pay fuel costs of volunteer drivers.)

Badiou, who's retired and on a fixed income, said it helped to have his gas covered for medical trips. Those trips -- and the help -- continued after he had surgery in August 2007.

He had chemotherapy once a week in Fresno and radiation treatments five days a week in Visalia. Kingsburg Cancer Volunteers stayed in touch.

"They'd call and say, 'Can you use a gas card?' and I'd say, 'I'm sure there are people who need it more than me' and they'd say, 'Don't worry about it. We'll take care of it.' And they did."

Anita Badiou said she appreciates the support her husband has received. "It's just nice to know there are people like that who are there for you."

Danis Badiou said he's cancer free today: "God has been good to me."