A Historic Partnership: Aflac Inc. and the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Since 1995, support from Aflac Inc. has helped make the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta one of the leading pediatric cancer and blood disorders programs in the country.

To date, the insurance provider, which is headquartered in Georgia, and its Aflac Field Force have donated nearly $200 million to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, making the company the largest corporate supporter of Children’s.

The Aflac family, including employees, executives and the Field Force, have embraced the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center as the company’s largest philanthropy.

Aflac’s financial contributions have been used to help fund:

• Research to find cures for childhood cancers and blood disorders.
• Inpatient and outpatient facilities at Arthur M. Blank Hospital and Hughes Spalding Hospital.
• A state-of-the-art pediatric research building.
• Endowments for the family support team and Fellowship Program and endowed chairs for the chief medical officer and leaders in developmental therapeutics, oncology, hematology, blood and marrow transplant (BMT), cancer survivorship, sickle cell disease, translational research and neuro-oncology. 

Aflac has set the standard for a true philanthropic partnership by which all others should be measured. Children’s thanks Aflac for its continued support in the fight against childhood cancer and blood disorders.

With Aflac’s support, Children’s has been able to host special events and share opportunities with the patients and families at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center that they may not have been able to participate in otherwise. The following Aflac-sponsored events and programs are just a handful of ways that Aflac has helped infuse a little fun into our families’ lives to help take their minds off a child’s diagnosis.

• Braves Night: An annual tradition that began in 1995, Braves Night is an opportunity for more than 100 patients and their families to meet Atlanta Braves players, get autographs and watch a game.
• My Special Aflac Duck: My Special Aflac Duck features naturalistic movement and joyful play to help distract children from the burdens of cancer treatment. A companion app enables children to mirror their care routines, such as medical play, feeding and bathing, using augmented reality. It mirrors young patients’ moods, endures the same painful therapies, and dances, quacks and nuzzles to help comfort children when they need it most. The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center was the first pediatric cancer center in the country to receive these specialized ducks and was integral in helping develop and create the ducks with input from Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center patients, staff and physicians. Aflac has committed to providing a My Special Aflac Duck to every newly diagnosed cancer patient over the age of 3 in the U.S.
• Children's Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals: Since 2016, Aflac has partnered with CMN hospitals through programs like Duckprints Awards, Aflac Holiday Duck and My Special Aflac Duck. Aflac currently works with more than 50 CMN hospitals, including Children’s to help make an impact in pediatric cancer and blood disorders communities across the country.

At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, we treat children, teens and young adults with childhood cancer and blood disorders. Our extensively trained and highly skilled clinical team has experience treating a full spectrum of cancers and blood disorders, whether common or rarely seen outside of the country’s top pediatric cancer centers.

As one of the leading childhood cancer and blood disorders programs in the U.S., we are able to offer comprehensive programs dedicated to each of the major types of childhood cancer. As a result, each patient receives specialized care from our team of providers. We are committed to incorporating the latest proven technology and research into our family-friendly, child-focused care. This approach is what sets Children’s apart and makes the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center a top choice for pediatric cancer and blood disorders treatment.