Dan and Kathelen Amos Donate $50,000 to Emory Winship Cancer Institute ATLANTA, May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Dan and Kathelen Amos today announced a personal commitment of $50,000 to the Emory Winship Cancer Institute to host the first scientific symposium in the southeast focused on triple-negative breast cancer research. Dan Amos, Aflac chairman and CEO and Kathelen Amos, Aflac Foundation president, made the personal donation in honor of the company's African-American female employees who make up nearly 30 percent of the workforce. The symposium will be held on May 16 beginning at 7 a.m. at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta. "After being made aware of the disproportionate impact of this disease on young African American women, Dan and I immediately felt led to become involved," said Kathelen Amos. "This is highly personal for us, not solely out of professional regard for the key roles African American women play in the leadership at Aflac, but also out of a heightened concern for those we hold dear." The inaugural Jean Sindab Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Symposium is designed to update oncologists and other healthcare professionals on the most current advances in triple-negative breast cancer, a fast-moving disease that is resistant to new targeted therapies and strikes African-American women more often than white women. In a recent population study, Emory researchers found that almost 47 percent of breast cancers in African-American women under the age of 55 were triple-negative. "We are immensely grateful for Kathelen and Dan Amos' support, which allows Emory Winship Cancer Institute to bring together the nation's top researchers focused on triple-negative breast cancer," said Brian Leyland- Jones, MD, PhD, Executive Director of Emory Winship. "Kathelen and Dan Amos are among only a handful of private philanthropists in the nation who recognize the need for focused attention on this lesser known form of breast cancer." The symposium will feature a panel of internationally recognized experts in triple-negative breast cancer research. There is no cost to attend. Health care professionals interested in attending the symposium can register at http://www.cancer.emory.edu/sindabsymposium . In addition, Emory Winship and Emory Healthcare will host a Community Town Hall Forum focused on breast health issues for African-American women on Thursday, May 15, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Emory Crawford Long Hospital. The forum will be an educational opportunity focusing on the broad topic of breast health issues for African-American women, with information on triple- negative disease. For more information or to register for the Community Town Hall, call 404-778-2000. Both the Jean Sindab Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Symposium and the Community Town Hall Forum are inspired by the legacy of Jean Sindab, PhD. Dr. Sindab was an African-American scholar and activist who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1996 at age 51. Dr. Sindab's memory is honored at Emory Winship through an endowed fund, established in 2005 by an anonymous donor. Today, The Sindab Project is focused on discovering new treatments for triple- negative breast cancer. About Aflac: For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Its insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for seven years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for ten consecutive years. Aflac also has been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother magazine's listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. 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 (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO ) Media Contacts: Mechell Clark Vince Dollard Aflac Incorporated Emory Winship Cancer Institute (706) 243-8004 404-778-4580 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041202/CLTH019LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Aflac Incorporated CONTACT: Mechell Clark, Aflac Incorporated, +1-706-243-8004, ; or Vince Dollard, Emory Winship Cancer Institute, +1-404-778-4580, Web site: http://www.aflac.com/

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