'Coach Prime,’ My Special Aflac Ducks win over Children’s of Mississippi patients

Published on Monday, October 24, 2022

By: Annie Oeth, aoeth@umc.edu

“I’m happy to be here with Aflac to give back to the Jackson community and spend time with these wonderful patients at Children’s of Mississippi ahead of our homecoming weekend,” said Sanders, a spokesman for Aflac, coach of the JSU Tigers football team, and a former professional football and baseball player. “The kids are truly an inspiration.”

Sanders brought My Special Aflac Ducks, robotic stuffed companions designed for children facing cancer or sickle cell disease, as a surprise to patients at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders Oct. 18.

Aflac, which pioneered the concept of cancer insurance policies after seeing the impact the financial burden had on cancer patients and their families, has contributed more than $162 million childhood cancer and sickle cell-related causes, including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. In 2018, the company decided to incorporate its well-known brand ambassador, the Aflac Duck, into their philanthropic initiatives in a very tangible way.

“We decided to use the Aflac Duck, beloved by so many people, to expand our commitment to those with cancer and blood disorders, and we created My Special Aflac Duck — a social robot for children ages 3 and older who are diagnosed with cancer and sickle cell disease — to help them cope with their health issues,” said Virgil Miller, incoming president of Aflac U.S. “To date, we have delivered more than 18,000 My Special Aflac Ducks to children in the United States, Japan and Northern Ireland, absolutely free of charge. The Jackson community has been through some rough times lately, which makes our ongoing support for Jackson State University — and our first trip to Children’s of Mississippi alongside Coach Prime to deliver this joy to children — even more special.”

Children’s of Mississippi Chief Nursing and Clinical Services Officer Ellen Hansen thanked Sanders, Miller and the rest of the Aflac team for brightening the day for patients. “Meeting Coach Prime and receiving My Special Aflac Ducks was a thrill for our patients and their families. To provide the services the children of Mississippi need and deserve, we rely on community and philanthropic support."

Aflac’s commitment to children facing cancer dates to 1995, when Dan Amos, the chairman and CEO, inspired Aflac to directly support families of children diagnosed with cancer by contributing more than $158 million to this cause, including funding for the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

“Dan’s support, however, went further than these important financial contributions,” Hansen said. “I happened to be a young leader at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and I had the pleasure of witnessing him coming in person to the Aflac Cancer Center, unannounced and unescorted. He would buy lunch for the patients, families and staff and sit and talk with each of them about their lives and their experiences, listening and connecting. I’m sure he was inspired by the children and families battling cancer and blood disorders. In turn, he inspired many others, myself included, with his example of servant leadership.”

My Special Aflac Ducks bring comfort to children with cancer and sickle cell disease, said Child life specialist Tiffany Key.

“My Special Aflac Duck serves as an excellent tool to help children with cancer and sickle cell disease understand their diagnoses in ways that are non-threatening, educational, and comforting,” she said. “As child life specialists, we use the social robot ducks and medical play to support our patients in coping with their treatment plans, hospitalizations and outpatient visits. We are thankful for Coach Prime and Aflac’s shared commitment to community and for making a positive impact on patients’ medical experiences here at Children’s of Mississippi.”