Two-time national championClemson UniversityHead Football CoachDabo Swinney, whose team will kick off the 2024 college football season against theGeorgiaBulldogs in this year’sAflac Kickoff Game, surprised children at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate withMy Special Aflac Duck,a free-of-charge resource created for children ages 3 and up with cancer and sickle cell disease. In partnership withAflac, a leading provider of health supplemental insurance in the U.S., Coach Swinney, Aflac U.S. PresidentVirgil Millerand the famousClemson TigerdeliveredMy Special Aflac Ducks,helping the children and their families enjoy a great day of fun activities.
Watching the children interact with My Special Aflac Duck shows how we can come together to make a difference.
“As Clemson prepares for the upcoming football season, the Tiger and I are excited to team up with Aflac at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate as we get ready for the Aflac Kickoff Game in August,” Coach Swinney said. “Our work today impacts both our local community and the pediatric cancer and blood disorder community. Watching the children interact withMy Special Aflac Duckshows how we can come together to make a difference on and off the field, and I’m truly honored to be a part of it.”
Since 2018, the award-winning animatronic duck has helped bring more than 30,000 kids comfort and joy during very challenging times. The social robot comes to life using innovative technology, helping kids prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. The delivery at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate comes on the heels of a three-year study releasedApril 5, revealing that both parents and caregivers reported a reduction in distress, nausea, pain and treatment — and procedural anxiety — for their children who receivedMy Special Aflac Duck, compared to those in the study who had not yet received a duck.My Special Aflac Duckwas named one of Time Magazine’s 50 Best Inventions and named Best in Show at CES and South by Southwest in 2018.
Also present at the event was the famedClemson Universitymascot, The Tiger, who is set to face off in the Aflac Kickoff Game Mascot Challenge. The mascot will compete at Tailgate Town onAug. 31, participating in football-inspired activities to bring awareness to childhood cancer andraise fundsfor the local children’s hospital. The champion will be announced during the Aflac Kickoff Game broadcast on ABC atnoon EDT.
Coach Swinney, the winningest head coach inClemsonfootball history, was joined by Aflac U.S. PresidentVirgil Miller, Prisma Health Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Dr.Jonathan Gleason, as well as patients, parents and health care providers at the hospital. The day included a demonstration ofMy Special Aflac Duckas well as fun activities for the young patients, including a scavenger hunt that culminated in each child receiving their very ownMy Special Aflac Duck.
“TheMy Special Aflac Duckprogram has become a hallmark of our commitment to helping families with pediatric cancer and blood disorders such as sickle cell. We are thankful to Coach Swinney and the wonderful staff at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate for teaming up with Aflac today to help these children and their care providers,” said Aflac U.S. PresidentVirgil Miller. “To date, Aflac has given more than 30,000 ducks and donated more than$180 millionto childhood cancer and blood disorders. A recent three-year clinical trial confirmed what we knew intuitively that this robotic companion helps young patients cope with treatment-related distress and anxiety. We will continue to bring awareness to this important cause through the Aflac Kickoff Game in partnership with Peach Bowl Inc.”
“We sincerely appreciate Coach Swinney joining theMy Special Aflac Duckdelivery today and visiting with these young patients and their families to provide a resource that will have a positive impact on these children during their medical journey,” saidGary Stokan, Peach Bowl Inc. CEO and president.
“We’re grateful to Aflac for its commitment to helping children with cancer and blood disorders such as sickle cell disease — and especially for its commitment to helping children here in the Upstate,” said Dr.Robin LaCroix, medical director of the Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate. “This incredible, utterly huggable technology creates an interactive experience that gives children coping tools to help reduce stress and pain and even brings fun and laughter into what can be a difficult time for children and their families. It is wonderful that Coach Swinney, a long-term champion of Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate, has joined forces with Aflac to yet again bring smiles to the faces of the families we serve.”
Health care providers, support organizations and families can orderMy Special Aflac Duckfree of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease atmyspecialaflacduck.com.
ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
AflacIncorporated (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. andJapan. In the U.S., Aflacis the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.1In Japan, AflacLife 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 Ethispherefor 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg’sGender-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 ataflac.comoraflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about AflacIncorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability atinvestors.aflac.comunder “Sustainability.”
1LIMRA 2022 US Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report
ABOUT PRISMA HEALTH
Prisma Health is a private nonprofit health company and the largest health care organization inSouth Carolina. The company has 29,309 team members, 18 acute and specialty hospitals, 2,827 licensed beds, 305 practice sites, and more than 5,400 employed and independent clinicians across its clinically integrated inVio Health Network. Along with this innovative network, Prisma Health serves almost 1.5 million unique patients annually in its 21-county market area that covers 50% ofSouth Carolina. Connect with Prisma Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter/X.
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