Championship coach and longtime Aflac partner Dawn Staley swaps gamecocks for My Special Aflac Duck®

Free-of-charge robotic companion brings joy to 16 sickle cell patients at Prisma Health Children's Hospital-Midlands

COLUMBUS, Ga., June 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Three-time women's national championship-winning University of South Carolina Head Basketball Coach and Olympic legend Dawn Staley joined Aflac, a leading provider of health supplemental insurance in the U.S., to deliver 16 My Special Aflac Ducks at Prisma Health Children's Hospital-Midlands. The social robotic duck uses innovative technology to help children prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more.

"After my first My Special Aflac Duck delivery last year, I wore a necklace crafted by a patient, serving as a constant reminder to maintain perspective in all situations. Aflac and I are deeply committed to giving back, particularly to children facing sickle cell — an often overlooked community," said Coach Staley. "Today's event carries even greater significance, especially on the heels of World Sickle Cell Day. While an undefeated season and national championships are tremendous accomplishments, nothing outweighs the special place these children hold in my heart."

The duck was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in partnership with Empath Labs and uses medical play and lifelike movement to help children cope with their treatments. My Special Aflac Duck was featured in a three-year clinical study spearheaded by researchers at Emory University and conducted at eight hospitals across the country. The study, which focused on children with cancer, was released in April, showed that My Special Aflac Duck helps young patients cope with treatment-related distress and anxiety. The robotic companion was named one of Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions and named Best in Show at CES and South by Southwest in 2018.

Pediatric sickle cell patients went on a scavenger hunt through the hospital before the children were surprised with their new, cuddly companions to keep. The sickle cell version of My Special Aflac Duck has a special cape designed to mimic a blanket, reflecting sickle cell patients who are often sensitive to changes in temperature. The cape doubles as art therapy to delight children serving as a water-activated, color-changing canvas.

"As a father of four young children in the Midlands, witnessing the joy on these amazing kids' faces when they received their My Special Aflac Duck and watching them meet Coach Staley reminds me of how incredibly gratifying it is to work for a company like Aflac where giving back is ingrained in our culture," said Aflac Senior Vice President of Group Voluntary Benefits Bob Ruff. "Special thanks to Prisma Health Children's Hospital-Midlands for helping us create a memorable day for these deserving kids to enjoy."

Since My Special Aflac Duck was first introduced in 2018, Aflac has delivered more than 30,000 ducks to children in the United States, Japan and Northern Ireland. In 2022, Aflac expanded the program to include sickle cell patients, and nearly one-third of the My Special Aflac Ducks donated have been given to children diagnosed with sickle cell disease.

Aflac's commitment to pediatric cancer and blood disorders spans decades with Aflac employees, independent agents and The Aflac Foundation, Inc. contributing more than $182 million to childhood cancer and blood disorders treatment and research since 1995.

"Our clinical team is dedicated to providing the best possible medical care for children in our community, both within our walls and beyond. Children with blood disorders like sickle cell face unique challenges, and we aim to highlight their experiences," said Dr. Stuart Cramer, medical director of Prisma Health Children's Hospital-Midlands. "We are deeply grateful to Aflac for its commitment to supporting children with cancer and blood disorders, such as sickle cell disease, through the use of their interactive My Special Aflac Duck, which brings joy and laughter during difficult times. We are also thrilled to have Coach Staley, a long-term champion of Prisma Health Children's Hospital-Midlands, join forces with Aflac to continue bringing smiles to the families we serve."

Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at myspecialaflacduck.com.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 68 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.¹ In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."

¹ LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report 

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