Apr 16, 2026
In December 2023, Army veteran Daniel Carr’s father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Just a few weeks later, endometrial cancer was found in his mother’s body.
After seeing how cancer affected his loved ones, Carr made it his mission to study medicine. His goal is to one day become an oncologist to help others who are battling the condition.
To help pay for tuition, Carr applied for the VFW “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship.” He initially learned about the scholarship through a veteran classmate.
“The process to apply was easy overall,” Carr said. “I feel like it gave me a chance to express who I am and what my service in the military was like.”
Carr joined the Army in 2011, where he served with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, Bravo Company. He was deployed to Kandahar Province in Afghanistan from April 2012 to January 2013.
Currently, Carr is enrolled in a pre-med track at California State University, East Bay, in Hayward, California, where he is studying prerequisites for medical school.
“The most rewarding part so far has been seeing my progress,” Carr said. “I am almost a year in, and I can see how much I have grown. It helps when times get tough because I remind myself: I can do it.”
After successful chemotherapy treatments and surgery, both of Carr’s parents are healthy and have been cancer-free for two years. Carr hopes to contribute to the removal of cancer in patients for years to come.
This article is featured in the 2026 April issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.