COLUMBUS, Ga., June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary Hall of Fame Athlete turned University of Colorado Boulder Head Football Coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders joined Aflac, a leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S., on Monday, to deliver My Special Aflac Ducks at Children's Hospital Colorado. The social robotic duck provides comfort to pediatric patients with cancer and sickle cell disease by helping them prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. From championships and personal achievements on the gridiron to both the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame, Coach Prime matches his on-field passion with his desire to give back to the community.

"This is my second My Special Aflac Duck delivery, and I'm so honored and humbled to spend some time with these incredibly strong and brave kids," said Coach Prime. "I jumped at the chance to bring joy to these patients and their families in the Colorado community. These deliveries with Aflac are a BLESSING. I'm talking about inspiration and being a part of something greater than myself. It's rewarding beyond words."

My Special Aflac Duck is distributed free of charge to children ages 3 and up who are diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease. The robotic companion was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in partnership with Empath Labs to produce the comforting, lifelike movements, medical play and many more features that bring cheer. My Special Aflac Duck was the focus of a three-year clinical study spearheaded by researchers at Emory University and conducted at eight hospitals across the country. The study, released in April, shows that My Special Aflac Duck helps pediatric patients with cancer cope with treatment-related distress and anxiety. The duck was named one of Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions and named Best in Show at CES and South by Southwest in 2018.

The pediatric patients went on a scavenger hunt through the hospital before the children were surprised with their new, cuddly companions to keep, complete with a birth certificate where the child names their new friend.

"The joy on the faces of the kids and their caregivers at Children's Hospital Colorado, knowing they will find comfort, is at the heart of the My Special Aflac Duck program," said Aflac Executive Garth Knutson. "The recent clinical study confirms what we've always believed — the duck helps reduce stress and anxiety for children facing cancer and sickle cell disease. This resource, gifted today with Coach Prime, exemplifies the spirit of giving back and offering support where it's needed most."

Since My Special Aflac Duck was first introduced in 2018, Aflac has delivered nearly 31,000 ducks to children in the United States, Japan and Northern Ireland, and the company has worked with more than 500 hospitals, in addition to working directly with families, to distribute these ducks. In 2022, Aflac expanded the program to include sickle cell patients and, to date, nearly one-third of My Special Aflac Ducks are sickle cell-specific. 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.

"It was incredible to have Coach Prime visit our patients and help provide them with a special scavenger hunt experience," said Christy Dobson, Vice President of Board and Community Relations at Children's Hospital Colorado. "His presence and the engaging activities provided a much-needed boost to our patients' spirits."

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 

Media contacts:

Amy Persons, apersons@aflac.com

Jon Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com

Aflac | Aflac New York | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

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SOURCE Aflac