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.
"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 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
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
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.
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