DAV Volunteer Dedicated to Serving Others After Surviving Cancer

Vietnam veteran beats cancer, dedicates life to service 
DAV.org
BY BRYAN G. LETT
JANUARY 12, 2016

Vietnam veteran John Dillahunt used DAV’s Transportation Network to help him beat cancer. For nearly a decade, he’s been connecting his fellow veterans with transportation through the program.

John Dillahunt’s life changed the moment he was diagnosed with cancer. Although he had no idea what his next steps would be, he knew he would have to find a way to manage the 285-mile round trip to the nearest Veterans Affairs medical center in Durham, N.C. for treatment.

Dillahunt would be forced to undergo a surgery, hormone therapy and 32 radiation treatments. This in itself is no small task, but is considerably more taxing when considering those radiation treatments would require Dillahunt to travel four hours to and from the VA hospital every day for nearly six weeks.

Dillahunt served in the Army from 1967 to 1972 and served two combat tours in Vietnam. At the time of his diagnosis, he was not familiar with DAV and the services available to him.

“I was in Bridgeton [N.C.] one day when I happened to walk outside and see a DAV van,” said Dillahunt. “I never really thought about what they did but I decided to contact them and see if they could help me.”

Dillahunt said the decision to call DAV not only changed his life, but also put him on a path to positively impact the lives of other veterans for years to come.

“They took care of me – 32 times, five days a week,” said Dillahunt. “I wanted to give something back to those who gave to me. Helping the guys and gals that fought for this country – there’s nothing better than that.”
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