SANTA BARBARA, Calif.,
Aug. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac,
the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the U.S.
and a committed corporate ally in making a difference in the lives
of children with cancer, today proudly presented a group of heroes
with Duckprints Awards for making an impact and leaving a footprint
in the lives of children and families with cancer.
"At Aflac, we believe that everyone has the power to do good,"
Aflac Foundation President Kathelen
Amos said. "Aflac adopted the charge more than 20 years ago
to further childhood cancer research and treatment and to support
families, and we haven't looked back since. We are excited to kick
off our 2017 Duckprints celebrations at Cottage Children's Medical
Center and to honor three inspiring, selfless individuals who truly
embody what it means to do good."
The 2017 Duckprints Awardees are:
- Faith DeBrum — After
being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma on her 11th birthday and
completing four rounds of chemotherapy, Faith has been instrumental
in Children's Miracle Network Hospitals' fundraising for Cottage
Children's Medical Center alongside their corporate partner, Costco
– where her parents work.
- Jasmin Castro — Since she
was 1 year old, Jasmin has been overcoming the odds – from a germ
cell tumor and hearing loss to an aneurysm and coma. Today,
17-year-old Jasmin is in good health and sharing her experiences to
raise money to help kids like her at Cottage.
- Anita Williamson — Thanks
to Anita's generosity, children undergoing cancer treatment at
Cottage Health's Grotenhuis Pediatric Clinics receive friendlier,
more comfortable hospital garments free of charge to enhance the
overall comfort of their hospital experience.
"Corporate support helps Cottage Children's Medical Center
provide the kind of advanced treatments and care for children with
cancer that you'd otherwise find at an academic medical center,"
Cottage Health Director of Development Magda Stayton said. "We're grateful to Aflac for
partnering with us to honor this group of outstanding heroes who
are leaving their own footprints in the fight against childhood
cancer."
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for
children under the age of 15, according to the National Cancer
Institute. Yet, less than 4 percent of all federal funding for
cancer research goes toward pediatric cancer, according to the
Children's Cancer Fund. That's why since 1995, Aflac has
contributed more than $116 million to
bridge the gap in funding and help find a cure. In fact, each
month, more than 17,000 Aflac independent sales associates
contribute more than $500,000 from
their commission checks to support childhood cancer research and
treatment.
Leading up to September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Aflac
is calling on people across America to become active in the cause.
To honor the 25-year relationship between Cottage Health and Aflac,
supporters are invited to make donations in $25 increments at www.cottagechildrens.org/cmn.
These donations will be matched by Aflac, up to $5,000, until Sept.
30.
In addition, Aflac is donating $2
to children's cancer research and treatment for each
Duckprints-related social media activity on Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube and/or Instagram, up to $1.5
million. Related social actions include:
Twitter - $2 for any tweet
using the hashtag #Duckprints or for retweets of Duckprints-related
tweets.
Facebook - $2 for any share of
posts related to Duckprints or using #Duckprints.
YouTube - $2 per view of the Duckprints videos on
YouTube.
Instagram - $2 for every post
using the hashtag #Duckprints.
Aflac 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 heroes. In
addition, merchandise such as plush Aflac Ducks and
Duckprints-related T-shirts, slippers and other items are available
for purchase at aflacduckprints.com, with all of the net proceeds
going toward the treatment and research of childhood cancer.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Faith DeBrum
Three
weeks after her grandfather passed away from cancer, Faith felt a
lump on her collarbone. Having witnessed "Papa's" decline for a
year and ultimately seeing him succumb to lung cancer, she was
understandably frightened.
The diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma arrived on Faith's 11th
birthday.
Her parents, Ronnie and Laura, assured her that Papa's cancer
wasn't like hers, and that her cancer would be curable. From their
home in Santa Maria, the family
traveled to Cottage Children's Medical Center, where Faith
underwent four rounds of chemotherapy.
Faith has been instrumental with her involvement in Children's
Miracle Network Hospitals' fundraising for Cottage Children's
Medical Center. Every year, May is Miracle Month at Costco – where
her parents work – and it's during this time that the warehouse
asks customers at the register if they'd like to make a
donation.
Faith's photo is displayed prominently on a banner to serve as
an inspiration for the impact the community can have on saving
kids' lives. Now 13 years old, Faith has been cancer-free for two
years.
This year, the warehouse hosted its inaugural Memorial Day Miracle Walk/Run and BBQ, where
Faith and her mom headed up the walkers, while her dad led the
charge of runners. Thanks to their efforts (and those of their work
family), Costco is Cottage's top CMNH corporate partner in the
community.
Award Recipient Jasmin Castro
Unexplained bleeding prompted Jasmin's mom to rush her to the
closest Emergency Room in Ojai,
Calif., when she was just 1 year old. She was quickly
transferred to nearby Cottage Children's Medical Center where an
egg-sized mass was discovered, diagnosed as a germ cell tumor.
"We were told she might only have five days to live," said
Jasmin's mom, Juana, as the growth rapidly increased to the size of
a lemon, then to that of an orange.
Jasmin spent a month in Cottage's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
before moving to the Acute Pediatrics floor. The family
"practically lived" at Cottage for six months, as Jasmin underwent
intense chemotherapy; treatment at such a young age resulted in
some hearing loss.
She overcame the odds but was faced with another challenge years
later when she turned 15. That's when Jasmin collapsed from an
aneurysm.
Again she was taken to Cottage, where she spent a little more
than three weeks in the ICU in an induced coma. Afterwards, she had
to relearn how to walk and talk.
Today, 17-year-old Jasmin is in good health and recently shared
her experiences on Spanish radio with her family during the
Children's Miracle Network Radio Bronco 107.7 Radiothon.
Her entire family, who took time out of their busy schedule,
donned Cottage Children's Medical Center shirts and rallied
donations during rush hour on the corner of Milpas Street alongside
the station's DJ, collecting more than $1,200 from passersby to help kids like Jasmin at
Cottage.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Anita Williamson
Seeing a picture of her friend's young daughter undergoing
chemotherapy in a hospital gown marked "Property of Cottage
Hospital," Anita was inspired to take action: There must be a
friendlier, more comfortable outfit for kids facing cancer, she
thought.
That was the moment she decided to do something.
Anita contacted her friends, Diane and
Richard Nares, co-founders of the Emilio Nares Foundation in
San Diego (enfhope.org). The
organization helps low-income and underserved families meet basic
needs associated with caring for a sick child, and it honors the
memory of the couple's 5-year-old son, who passed away due to acute
lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Through the Emilio Nares Foundation,
Anita purchased and then donated to Cottage Children's Medical
Center a total of 300 soft, colorful Loving Tabs T-shirts designed
with snap openings at the shoulder and sleeve to allow for easy
port access during infusion treatments. Her donation was in honor
of the doctors who cared for her during a recent hospital stay.
Thanks to Anita's generosity, patients at Cottage's Grotenhuis
Pediatric Clinics are able to receive the garments for free and can
take them home and reuse them for future treatments.
Anita plans to establish a program that will continue to benefit
all children undergoing cancer treatment in the future, which will
enhance the comfort of pediatric patients.
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. In 2015, Aflac's contact centers were
recognized by J.D. Power by providing "An Outstanding Customer
Service Experience" for the Live Phone Channel. 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.
Aflac media contact – Kristen
Fraser, 706.580.3813 or kfraser@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
Cottage Children's Medical Center media contact -
Maria Zate, 805-879-8986 or
mzate@sbch.org
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