From the Baseball Hall of Fame to the Duckprints Wall of Fame

ATLANTA, Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance in the United States, today presented its 2014 Duckprints Award to local heroes Tom and Chris Glavine and Kristin Connor, Executive Director of CURE Childhood Cancer. The Duckprints Award is Aflac's way of honoring people who have left their footprint in the fight against childhood cancer. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The event, held at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, was hosted by national broadcaster Ernie Johnson, Jr., himself a cancer survivor. They were joined by the Miller family of Dalton, GA and Esme Miller, a beautiful and brave 10 year-old diagnosed with osteosarcoma in December of 2013. Esme is currently being treated at the Aflac Cancer Center.

"Aflac is proud to honor the Glavines for their quiet but substantial support of childhood cancer throughout Tom's legendary Hall-of-Fame career and Kristin Connor, who represents CURE Childhood Cancer, an organization that has raised millions of dollars for childhood cancer research at the Aflac Cancer Center," said Kathelen Amos, president of the Aflac Foundation. "We are pleased to add them to our Duckprints 'Wall of Fame', which will serve as a constant reminder to children and families that they do not have to fight cancer alone."

Earlier this year, Aflac announced its goal of exceeding the $100 million mark for contributions to the Aflac Cancer Center and other related children's cancer causes by the end of 2015. Since 1995, the company has raised and contributed more than $91 million, including monthly contributions of more than $400,000 from the company's independent sales agents. As part of the Duckprints campaign, Aflac is calling on unsung heroes across America to become active in the cause. People can get involved by taking to social media to talk about childhood cancer. Aflac will donate $2 for any duckprints-related social actions taken on various social mediums up to $2 million. Related social actions include:

• Twitter - $2 for tweets using the hashtag #duckprints or retweets of duckprints related tweets
• Facebook - $2 for any share of specific posts related to duckprints or using #duckprints
• YouTube Views - $2 per every view of the duckprints videos on YouTube
• ShareThis - $2 for every duckprints related video shared

To support the Aflac Duckprints initiative, Aflac also created a website called aflacduckprints.com that enables users to nominate unsung heroes in their community who have made a difference in the lives of children and families facing cancer.  People can follow the Aflac duck on his journey to hospitals around the country honoring those who have made a difference in the fight against childhood cancer.  In addition, consumers can purchase merchandise such as plush Aflac Ducks and Duckprints related t-shirts, slippers and other items at aflacduckprints.com with all of the net proceeds going toward the treatment and research of childhood cancer. 

About Esme Miller
In December 2013, at only 9 years old, Esme Miller was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. She had her first chemo treatment on Dec. 27 of last year and followed a 29-week treatment protocol. She takes chemo as an inpatient and stays at the hospital several days after each treatment. She gets to return home between treatments, usually for two to three days at a time. Through all of this, the 5th grader at Westwood Elementary in Dalton, GA has worn her motto on her bracelet "You got this!"

About Duckprints Award Recipients Tom and Chris Glavine
When a call went out from their son's school to assist a family facing childhood cancer, Chris and Tom Glavine readily volunteered. They immediately became close with the family of a 6 year-old boy diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma.  Knowing they could make a difference for childhood cancer, the family introduced the Glavines to Kristin Connor, Executive Director of CURE Childhood Cancer, who engaged Chris and Tom Glavine in CURE Childhood Cancer events, helping raise funds and increase awareness for childhood cancer.  Tom and Chris have become strong advocates for childhood cancer through all of the events they have supported and children and families they have come to know.

About CURE Childhood Cancer
CURE Childhood Cancer was established in 1975 as a grassroots organization with one crystal-clear mission: to save lives. At the time, the survival rate of children with cancer was a bleak ten percent. CURE's founders were determined to change that. With a very real sense of urgency, CURE focused on improving the care and quality of life – as well as the survival rates – of children with cancer.  CURE has provided millions of dollars for research in the Aflac Cancer Center in an effort to achieve their mission. CURE also provides annual funding for two Aflac Cancer Center fellowships, as well as programs to meet critical and urgent needs for Aflac Cancer Center patient families.  Through their Open Arms dinners and lunches, dedicated CURE volunteers bring a sense of home each week to the patients and their families when they serve meals in the family rooms on the inpatient cancer units.  CURE is represented by their Executive Director, Kristin Connor, who was introduced to childhood cancer in 2001 when her son, now a cancer survivor, was diagnosed. In 2004 Kristin took a leave of absence from her career as an attorney to work as Senior Vice President of Community and Business Development at a national childhood cancer nonprofit and joined CURE Childhood Cancer as Executive Director in 2006. Over the next seven years Kristin's leadership helped CURE experience 400% growth in revenue despite a crippling recession during many of those years. Kristin has led substantial growth in CURE's investment in pediatric cancer research to $2.5 million annually.  Additionally, Kristin has led the development of strong and innovative patient and family support programs.

About Aflac
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For nearly six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the worksite. In Japan, Aflac is the number one life insurance company in terms of individual policies in force. Aflac individual and group insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For eight consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2014, FORTUNE magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 16th consecutive year. Also, in 2014, FORTUNE magazine included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 13th time, ranking the company number one in the life and health insurance category. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

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SOURCE Aflac