All-time football great helps kickoff
the Aflac Kickoff Game festivities by creating
bright smiles for special kids
ATLANTA, Aug. 27,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pro Football and College
Football Hall of Fame defensive back Champ Bailey (2019) today
stopped by the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
The former University of Georgia
star helped kickoff for a cause before the upcoming Aflac Kickoff
Game at noon this Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta where the Bulldogs will face the
Tigers from Clemson.
Bailey said, "I honestly don't know who got
more out of this experience, the kids and families or me."
Bailey visited children and families at the Aflac Cancer and
Blood Disorders Center, signing autographs, posing for pictures and
helping distribute some very special items to children who are
facing cancer and blood disorders such as sickle cell disease. Born
and raised in Folkston, Georgia,
Bailey is an ambassador for youth development through his Champ
Bailey Family Foundation, supporting health, wellness and
educational programs for the advancement of young people and
families, with a vision to mentor young men and women into positive
leaders.
"My family, including my brother and my dad, has been touched by
cancer, and I've known several people who have dealt with terrible
blood disorders like sickle cell, so when I met with these kids at
the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center today, I was moved by
their courage," Bailey said. "I honestly don't know who got more
out of this experience, the kids and families or me. I am just
pleased if we made their day a little brighter."
Bailey was joined by Aflac U.S. President Virgil R. Miller and Pediatric Hematologist,
Director for the Sickle Cell Program at the Aflac Cancer and Blood
Disorders Center, Hughes Spalding, Dr. Jason Payne, where they delivered My Special
Aflac Duck®, an award-winning robotic companion designed
to help children cope with cancer and blood disorders, to several
patients. To date, Aflac has given more than 31,000 My Special
Aflac Ducks to children with cancer or sickle cell in
the United States, Japan and Northern
Ireland. The results of a clinical trial conducted at eight
hospitals across the country was released in April 2024 and shows that My Special Aflac
Duck is helping both patients and their parents cope with
anxiety and stress associated with treatments.
"Champ is as his name says, a real champ. His commitment to the
community is hall of fame caliber and we got a chance to see that
today as he visited with the children and families, as part of the
build up to the Aflac Kickoff Game on Saturday afternoon," Miller
said. "We are so pleased to be working with Champ and to help
advance this incredibly important cause, providing a special moment
for families dealing with childhood cancer and blood
disorders."
"Treatments for cancer or sickle cell can be stressful for kids
and their parents, so having someone with Hall of Fame credentials
like Champ Bailey come to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders
Center to spend time with our patients is always an uplifting day,"
said Dr. Douglas K. Graham, chief of
the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's
Healthcare of Atlanta. "Special
thanks to Aflac and for Champ, a true champ, for making this day
happen."
Bailey still holds two major NFL records with 203 career pass
deflections and being selected to 12 Pro Bowls as a cornerback. He
was tabbed for the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s and chosen to
the Broncos 50th Anniversary Team. Champ was rewarded for his
excellence by being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class
of 2019. He will be attending the Aflac Kickoff Game as a guest of
Aflac.
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 contact: Jon Sullivan,
706.573.7610 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or dyoung@aflac.com
Aflac | WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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