SACRAMENTO, Calif.,
Nov. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/
-- Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance in
the United States, today presented
its 2014 Duckprints Award to local heroes from the UC Davis
Comprehensive Cancer Center, including cancer survivor Francesca Arnaudo, nurses Katie Haertle and Nancy
Lewis, as well as Robyn
Raphael, who, after losing her five-year-old son to
neuroblastoma in 1998, has raised more than $5 million for pediatric cancer research.
The event, which was held at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer
Center in Sacramento, was part of
Aflac's Duckprints Award Program. Duckprints is Aflac's way of
honoring people who have left their footprints in the fight against
childhood cancer. The company has traveled across the nation, with
stops in Houston, Texas,
New York, Atlanta, Columbia,
South Carolina and now Sacramento.
"These courageous women who shared their personal stories of
their battles against children's cancer have earned the respect of
their colleagues, their communities and families facing this
disease across the country," said Kathelen
Amos, president of the Aflac Foundation. "Aflac is pleased
to honor them for exemplifying what we refer to as 'The Aflac Way'
of being there for people in their greatest times of need.
Congratulations to each of these women for leaving tremendous
footprints in this ongoing fight."
"We are so pleased that Aflac has recognized two of our
phenomenal nurses who dedicate themselves every day to the care of
our young cancer patients," said Ralph de
Vere White, cancer center director. "And I am grateful, too,
that Duckprints also honored one of our heroic young patients as
well as a woman whose philanthropic leadership had made life so
much better for hundreds of childhood cancer patients and their
families."
Earlier this year, Aflac, which has made children's cancer its
primary philanthropic cause, announced its goal of exceeding the
$100-million mark for contributions
to childhood cancer by the end of 2015. Since 1995, the company has
raised and contributed $93 million,
including monthly contributions of more than $400,000 from the company's independent sales
agents. As part of the Duckprints campaign, Aflac is calling
individuals across America to become active in the cause. People
can get involved by taking to social media to talk about childhood
cancer. Aflac will donate $2 to the
Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of
Atlanta for any Duckprints-related
social actions taken on various social mediums, up to $2 million. Related social actions include:
- Twitter - $2 for tweets using the
hashtag #duckprints or retweets of Duckprints-related tweets
- Facebook - $2 for any share of
specific posts related to Duckprints or using #duckprints
- YouTube Views - $2 per every view
of the Duckprints videos on YouTube
- ShareThis - $2 for every
Duckprints-related video shared
To support the Aflac Duckprints initiative, Aflac also created a
website called 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 also
purchase a 2014 Aflac Holiday plush duck, with all of the net
proceeds going to the fight against childhood cancer. In addition,
merchandise such as plush Aflac Ducks and Duckprints-related
T-shirts, slippers and other items will be available for purchase
at aflacduckprints.com, with all of the net proceeds also going to
this cause.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Francesca Arnaudo
Over the last 12 years, Francesca
Arnaudo of Ripon,
California, has triumphantly battled cancer while balancing
her schoolwork and other activities, earning her the label of
"miracle child" from the nurses who have cared for her. This
tenacious teenager has beaten cancer three times after the disease
was first diagnosed 12 years ago, when six-year-old Francesca fell
during an everyday T-ball practice and injured her arm. Subsequent
X-rays revealed a tumor. At UC Davis, a team of top-notch cancer
specialists, orthopedic surgeons and nurses developed a successful
treatment plan. Sadly, six months after being declared in
remission, Francesca was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, for
which she received a bone marrow transplant and had to be
hospitalized for 41 days. Four years into remission, another mass,
this time on her right lung's upper lobe, was discovered.
Fortunately, the doctors and staff at UC Davis successfully removed
what was to be her third tumor.
Francesca has been actively involved in bringing awareness to
childhood cancer – serving as a national spokesperson for various
campaigns, representing the disease and her home state. In June,
Francesca graduated with honors from Ripon
High School and recently began her freshman year at UC Davis
majoring in environmental toxicology, and she aspires to become a
pediatric endocrinologist.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Katie Haertle
Katie Haertle, from Orangevale, California, has worked for the UC
Davis Medical Center for more than 20 years. A graduate of the
Sacramento State University nursing program, she began her nursing
career in 1983 on Tower 3 of UC Davis Medical Center caring for
adult post-surgical patients. Soon after, she applied for and
earned her dream position as a staff nurse on the pediatric unit
providing care for children hospitalized by minor illnesses to
life-threatening diseases. After a brief stint in Arkansas, Katie returned as a clinical
research coordinator, submitting data to the Children's Oncology
Group's research studies, and as a nurse in the Pediatric Infusion
Center. In 2005, she was approached by a pediatric
hematology/oncology physician to serve as their nurse coordinator.
She accepted the position and continues to guide children diagnosed
with cancer and their families through the treatment process by
providing education, coordinating complex care and serving as a
bridge of communication between the families and their physician.
Katie is honored and grateful to have the opportunity to work with
and support families through a difficult period of time in their
lives.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Nancy Lewis
A pediatric nurse for 33 years and originally from Chicago, Illinois, Nancy Lewis was inspired to pursue a career in
pediatric oncology at the age of seven by a rare tumor she faced
and a heroic physician who saved her.
After graduating from high school with a license in practical
nursing, Nancy wanted to learn more and quickly enrolled at
North Park College, graduating four
years later with a Bachelor of Science in nursing. While she began
her career as a pediatric oncology nurse at Children's Memorial
Hospital in Chicago, just a few
years later she headed to California to join the UC Davis Medical
Center's inpatient pediatric unit. After just five years, she
accepted a position in the outpatient Pediatric Infusion Center and
has been there since. Nancy has held many roles during her time in
the Pediatric Infusion Center, serving as a staff nurse, charge
nurse and nurse manager. She is currently a staff nurse, which
allows her to fulfill her love of caring for children directly at
the bedside. Nancy works closely with the Association of Pediatric
Hematology Oncology Nurses, serving as coordinator and instructor
of the APHON Pediatric Chemotherapy/Biotherapy Certification
provider course held twice a year at UC Davis Health System. Nancy
is planning her retirement in the next four years and hopes to pass
on her love of nursing by actively mentoring younger nurses on how
to enjoy the service of caring for children and their families.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Robyn Raphael
After losing her five-year-old son, Keaton, to neuroblastoma stage
4 in 1998, Robyn Raphael of Whitter,
California, set off on a mission
to help eradicate childhood cancer. She founded the Keaton Raphael Memorial in Roseville, California, and served as CEO until
2012. Among Robyn's accomplishments at the Memorial, she created an
innovative Childhood Cancer Family Navigator model, which has
served more than 8,000 families in Northern California with safety-net services,
and named Keaton's Korner at the UC Davis pediatric oncology
outpatient playroom. She has raised more than $5 million for childhood cancer research.
Robyn is a passionate local and national advocate for children's
cancer. For more than 16 years, she has participated in more than
500 legislative meetings and served on numerous local and national
childhood cancer committees. Robyn has represented the state of
California at Childhood Cancer
Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C.,
as well as testified in front of the National Childhood Cancer
Committee. Robyn currently serves as the co-chairperson of the
California Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan's Childhood Cancer
Committee as a parent advocate under her consultancy, Healthy
Transitions.
Robyn resides in Sacramento and
enjoys spending time with her 14-year-old daughter, Kiana, and
awaits weekend visits from her 20-year-old son, Kyle, who attends
college in Chico, CA.
About Aflac
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt,
Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For nearly 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. In Japan, Aflac is the number one life insurance
company in terms of individual policies in force. Aflac individual
and group insurance products help provide protection to more than
50 million people worldwide. For eight consecutive years, Aflac has
been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most
Ethical Companies. In 2014, FORTUNE magazine recognized Aflac as
one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 16th
consecutive year. Also, in 2014, FORTUNE magazine included Aflac on
its list of Most Admired Companies for the 13th time, ranking the
company number one in the life and health insurance category. Aflac
Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, 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.
About UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
UC Davis
Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute
comprehensive-designated center serving the Central Valley and
inland Northern California, a
region of more than 6 million people. Its top specialists
provide compassionate, comprehensive care for more than 10,000
adults and children every year and offer patients access to more
than 150 clinical trials at any given time. Its innovative research
program includes more than 280 scientists at UC Davis and Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory. The unique partnership, the
first between a major cancer center and national laboratory, has
resulted in the discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat
cancer. Through the Cancer Care Network, UC Davis is collaborating
with a number of hospitals and clinical centers throughout the
Central Valley and Northern
California regions to offer the latest cancer-care services.
Its community-based outreach and education programs address
disparities in cancer outcomes across diverse populations. For more
information, visit www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cancer.
Media contacts – Jon Sullivan,
706.763.4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact – Robin Y.
Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, or
rwilkey@aflac.com.
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SOURCE Aflac