COLUMBUS, Ga.,
Jan. 9, 2019
/PRNewswire/ -- One year after being introduced to Americans
at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, My Special Aflac Duck, a
robotic comfort provider modeled after the famed Aflac Duck, is helping provide comfort and joy
to thousands of children across the country. With more than 100
hospitals and childhood cancer care facilities in the United States registered to order ducks,
to date, 2,063 have been distributed to children facing cancer.
My Special Aflac Duck is Aflac's latest innovation in its
24-year commitment to children with cancer.
In December, My Special Aflac Duck was named to
Time Magazine's list of the Top 50 Inventions of 2018. Additional
accolades include several notable awards from CES 2018,
including:
- Engadget's Best of Show in the Unexpected Product
Category.
- Tech for a Better World Innovation Award.
- IHS Markit Showstoppers Award for Robotics.
"The incredible reception that My Special Aflac
Duck has received from people who face the reality of childhood
cancer on a regular basis has exceeded all of our expectations. We
are so pleased that caretakers, parents and children are finding
comfort in this very special companion," Aflac Chairman and CEO
Dan Amos said. "This program has
become a labor of love for Aflac, our employees and the independent
sales agents licensed to sell our products. It has gained the
attention of media, industry groups, the childhood cancer
community, regulators and even members of Congress because it is a
great way to demonstrate the need to focus on childhood cancer on
behalf of those who are impacted most: the children."
While the prototype of My Special Aflac Duck
debuted at CES in January 2018,
actual delivery of ducks began in September
2018. Since the initial delivery event, which took place at
the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's
Healthcare of Atlanta, more than
2,000 ducks have been ordered through an online intake system
available at AflacChildhoodCancer.org. Health care professionals
who treat children with cancer can go to this site to register and
order the ducks, free of charge. Aflac has invested more than
$3 million to date on the
development, creation and delivery of My Special Aflac Duck,
which was invented by Sproutel, a health care research and
development business based in Providence,
Rhode Island, that specializes in robotics. Each duck costs
Aflac approximately $200 to build and
deliver.
"It is an indescribable feeling to see the smile on
children's faces when they receive My Special Aflac Duck,"
Sproutel CEO and Co-Founder Aaron
Horowitz said. "It is wonderful to know that they enjoy the
functions of the duck that we designed specifically for them. We're
honored to work with Aflac and see this grow from a concept to a
program that is impacting the lives of children across the
country."
My Special Aflac Duck uses medical
play, lifelike movement and emotions, and an augmented-reality app
to engage and help comfort kids during their cancer treatment.
Features of the duck include:
- Emotional expression: Seven emoji cards help
children communicate as the duck acts out a given feeling when that
emoji card is tapped to its chest.
- Medical and nurturing play: The duck's
chemotherapy port allows children to mirror their care through
play. What's more, the duck's no-cost mobile app allows children to
give it a virtual bath, "feed" it and give it medicine.
- Music, singing and nuzzling: The duck sings
when music is played. Customizable sounds include gentle waves,
wind and a farm.
- Breathing and heartbeat: This lively duck
produces a heartbeat and deep breathing, which caregivers can
incorporate into calming routines and exercises.
- No waiting required: Batteries and
accessories accompany the duck so it is ready to use right
away.
- Convenience: The duck features a removable
skin that can be washed to ensure hospital hygiene standards are
met.
"Our goal is to see the day when My Special Aflac
Duck is no longer needed to help children with cancer, but
until we find a cure, Aflac's commitment remains strong – because
all children deserve a lifetime," Amos said.
Since 1995, Aflac has contributed more than $131 million to the treatment and research of
childhood cancer. The company currently collaborates with
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® and the Children's
Oncology Group to help promote and distribute My Special Aflac
Duck across the country. For more information, visit
AflacChildhoodCancer.org.
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, for eligible claims, Aflac U.S. can process, approve
and electronically send funds to claimants for quick access to cash
in just 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 12 consecutive years, Aflac has been
recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical
Companies. In 2018, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the
100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the 20th consecutive
year and included Aflac on its list of World's Most Admired
Companies for the 17th 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 aflac.com/espanol.
Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of
Columbus and American Family Life
Assurance Company of New York.
WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999.
Media contacts:
Aflac – Jon Sullivan,
706.763.4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Aflac analyst and investor
contact:
David A. Young,
706.596.3264 or dyoung@aflac.com
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SOURCE Aflac