Aflac Teams with CureFest to Eradicate Childhood Cancer

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the U.S. and a committed corporate ally in the fight against childhood cancer, announced today its newly formed relationship with CureFest, a grassroots organization whose mission is to make childhood cancer research a national priority by uniting the childhood cancer community, the general public, physicians and researchers as well as elected leaders. The annual CureFest rally for Childhood Cancer was held in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall on Sept. 18, 2016.

The Aflac Duck joins CureFest's walk for a cure for children's cancer at the National Mall in Washington DC.

"Aflac is extremely pleased to be a corporate sponsor for CureFest 2016, as we extend our national commitment to finding a cure for childhood cancer," Aflac Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Catherine Hernandez-Blades said. "If you make one visit to the Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta or any hospital that treats children battling cancer, you will quickly realize the heroic fight that these children wage with this disease every day. We owe it to these incredible kids and their families to elevate the national dialogue about childhood cancer, and Aflac wants to help facilitate that discussion."

In spite of thousands of new diagnoses every year, childhood cancer receives less than 5 percent of the national funding that goes toward cancer research, according to Children's Cancer Fund. Yet, cancer remains the No. 1 cause of death by disease in the U.S. for children 15 years of age or younger. One of CureFest's primary goals is to connect with, and educate the general public about, the need for additional funding and awareness.

"Until recently, the childhood cancer community has struggled to find its voice because thousands of foundations and groups are spread out across the country and are not integrating their messages," said Emily Belcher, CureFest organizer and mother of a child cancer patient. "As a result, the impact of their work has been diffused. We need to combine our efforts. CureFest aims to bring these groups together in our nation's capital to spark a national movement to cure childhood cancer."

CureFest began on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in Washington, D.C., including the "Night of Golden Lights," which featured live music and a speakers program and was followed by a walk to the White House gates for a candlelight vigil. On Sunday, Sept. 18, a full day of activities was held in the National Mall, including stage acts, information booths, a walk for a cure and even an appearance by the Aflac Duck in the Aflac Cancer Center's information booth as part of a celebration of families and children dealing with childhood cancer.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the worksite. Through its trailblazing One Day Pay^SM 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 individual and group insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For 10 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2016, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 18th consecutive year and included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 15th time, ranking the company No. 1 in innovation for the insurance, life and health category for the second consecutive year. 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 Pay^SM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.