DAYTON, Ohio, Oct. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the
leading provider of voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in
the U.S. and a committed corporate ally in raising awareness for
childhood cancer, today joined with Dayton Children's Hospital to
honor a group of heroes with Duckprints Awards. The four recipients
were honored for leaving significant footprints in their paths as
they work to create new possibilities for children facing
cancer.
Duckprints Awards are part of the Aflac Childhood Cancer
Campaign, designed to engage Aflac employees, agents and the public
to increase awareness, promote volunteerism and honor childhood
cancer champions through a variety of initiatives. The 2017
Duckprints Awardees are:
- The Greene family
- Pam Byer, MSW, LISW-S
- Mukand Dole, M.D.
- Larry Connor
"Aflac is proud to honor these selfless individuals, who lead
the charge in creating hope for a brighter future for the thousands
of children and their families who face cancer every year," said
Kathelen Amos, president of The
Aflac Foundation. "The unwavering commitment of the honorees here
in Dayton, who use their talents
and time to support people in their most vulnerable times of need,
is what it will take to cure childhood cancer together in our
lifetimes. Each one has left his and her 'duckprints' on this great
cause and is deserving of this recognition."
According to the National Cancer Institute, only 4 percent of
federal funding for cancer research goes to pediatric cancer.
That's why Aflac has contributed more than $118 million over the last 22 years to help
bridge the gap in funding to improve treatment and research and
help find a cure. Each month, more than 17,000 of Aflac's agents,
working together, contribute more than $500,000 from their commission checks to support
this cause.
Aflac also offers ways for individuals to assist. As part of
Aflac's new Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign, Aflac is calling on
others to become active in the cause. Any donations made to Dayton
Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center on the day of the
Duckprints Awards ceremony, or within the month after the ceremony,
will be matched by Aflac, up to $5,000, and go directly to Dayton Children's
Hospital.
Aflac has also created a website (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 lives of children facing cancer. In addition,
merchandise such as a new plush Aflac duck, T-shirts, sippy cups
and more are available for purchase at AflacChildhoodCancer.org,
with all of the net proceeds going toward the treatment and
research of childhood cancer.
About Duckprints Award Recipient: The Greene
family
Emily Greene was
diagnosed with Extraosseous Ewing's Sarcoma at Dayton Children's in
January 1997 at the age of 12.
Unfortunately, after nine months of chemotherapy, including a bone
marrow transplant, Emily lost her battle.
To remember Emily, give back and find some peace, the Greene
family collected money during the holidays to give to another
family with a child being treated for cancer at Dayton Children's.
Recognizing that this donation could serve more than just one
family a year, social worker Pam
Byer approached the Greenes in 2001 about funding the local
Beads of Courage program.
Emily's Beads of Courage program began in April 2002, and today, it is still going strong.
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, he or she receives a length
of twine with beads that spell their first name, as well as a
Dayton Children's bead and an Emily's Bead of Courage. Each step in
their journey, such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and many
others, is denoted by a bead. This is a way to honor the journey
and recognize each step along their courageous path.
The Greenes saw firsthand what it took to undergo cancer
treatment: constant shots and pokes, surgeries, scans, hair loss,
frequent and extended hospital stays, and good news and bad news.
They know the courage it takes and now know that with each bead,
Emily has added her might to each child's fight.
About Aflac Duckprints Award Recipient: Pam Byer, MSW, LISW-S
Pam Byer spent 23 years as a social worker at
Dayton Children's Hospital, serving many areas, including the
emergency department, neurology, sickle cell and
hematology/oncology. She was the caregiver every social worker
aspires to be. Her genuine spirit shone through in each
conversation, making each family feel supported and a part of the
care team during life-changing experiences. At the same time, she
was passionate about finding new ways to support children and
families during trying times.
She learned about a unique and creative bead program at an
Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers conference in
Houston, Texas, in 2000. Pam was
inspired by the idea of bringing a simple, fun and yet deeply
meaningful program designed to highlight the arduous journey a
child must take when diagnosed with cancer, to children that
allowed them to tell their unique story.
Getting the program off the ground met with some financial
difficulty and some initial resistance, but then she found the
Greene family. Just as she knew would happen, all children, from
the very youngest through the teen years, enjoy adding beads to
their necklaces to acknowledge the tremendous challenges faced
during treatment.
Pam's innovative vision brought the Emily's Beads of Courage
program to life at Dayton Children's. Her ability to recognize what
would appeal to the oncology patients and families, as well as her
persistence, made this inspirational program what it is today.
About Aflac Duckprints Award Recipient: Mukund Dole, M.D.
In addition to his
service as a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Dayton
Children's, Dr. Mukund Dole
volunteers his time as a board member for the American Cancer
Society and Special Wish Foundation Dayton. He also helped raise
more than $1 million for the new
Mills Family Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders located in the
new patient tower at Dayton Children's.
In his 20 years of service as a hematology-oncology physician at
Dayton Children's, Dr. Dole's encouragement and support have helped
hundreds of children face cancer, while still allowing them to do
all the activities that kids like to do.
Dr. Dole is an associate professor of pediatrics at Boonshoft
School of Medicine, Wright State
University. He is the chair of the hospital's Comprehensive
Cancer Committee and helps coordinate advanced clinical research
efforts through collaboration with other institutions. He is also
the medical director of the West Central Ohio Comprehensive Sickle
Cell Center in Dayton.
Dr. Dole obtained his medical degree from the University of Bombay and received his general
pediatrics training at Children's Hospital of Louisiana and LSU Medical
Center, New Orleans,
Louisiana. He completed his fellowship in pediatric
hematology-oncology at the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is board certified in both general
pediatrics and pediatric hematology-oncology.
About Aflac Duckprints Award Recipient: Larry Connor
In 2007, Larry Connor founded The Connor Group Kids and
Community Partners. The organization's basic premise is to be a
philanthropic investment partner that helps develop good causes
into great programs, primarily for disadvantaged youth in
communities where The Connor Group operates.
The Connor Group Kids and Community Partners is dedicated to
making a significant, long-term impact on the lives of kids in this
region, which inspired their $1
million challenge grant for Dayton Children's new patient
tower. The gift helped provide a special lounge for families whose
children are being treated for cancer and blood disorders to
celebrate special occasions and interact outside of the hospital
room. This space has been named the Connor-Dole Family Lounge, in
honor of hematology-oncology specialist Mukand Dole, M.D.
The Connor Group's challenge grant inspired an incredible
$1.8 million in additional gifts to
the Reaching New Heights Capital Campaign.
The Dayton native graduated
summa cum laude in 1972 from Ohio
University. From 1983 to 1990, Larry owned Orlando Computer
Corp., the second-largest reseller in the state of Florida for IBM microcomputers and a pioneer
in local area networks.
After co-founding a real estate investment firm in 1991, he
bought out his partners and established The Connor Group in 2003.
In its first 25 years, the firm grew from $400,000 to more than $2
billion in total assets, owning and operating luxury
apartment communities in 12 markets. It has been recognized
regionally and nationally as a top workplace and industry
innovator.
About Aflac
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt,
Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For more than six decades, Aflac
insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to
focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leader in
voluntary insurance sales at the worksite. Through its trailblazing
One Day PaySM initiative, Aflac U.S. can receive, process, approve
and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business day. In
Japan, Aflac is the leading
provider of medical and cancer insurance, and insures 1 in 4
households. Aflac insurance products help provide protection to
more than 50 million people worldwide. For 11 consecutive years,
Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most
Ethical Companies. In 2017, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as
one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 19th
consecutive year and included Aflac on its list of Most Admired
Companies for the 16th time. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500
company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL.
To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, 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.
Media contacts – Jon Sullivan,
706.763.4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Aflac analyst and investor contact – David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667,
FAX 706.324.6330, or dyoung@aflac.com
View original content with
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aflac-and-dayton-childrens-hospital-honor-heroes-making-an-impact-in-the-lives-of-children-with-cancer-300536533.html
SOURCE Aflac