COLUMBIA, S.C., June 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leading
provider of voluntary insurance in the
United States, presented its first 2014 Duckprints
Awards to local (South Carolina)
heroes for their commitment in the fight against childhood cancer.
The event, held at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital in
Columbia, South Carolina,
recognized three individuals and families who have dedicated
themselves to helping improve treatment and seeking a cure for
children's cancer.
The three Aflac Duckprints
Award recipients at Palmetto Health Children's
Hospital are:
- Rob and Risha Teal — Parents of
Bayler Teal, who lost his fight with cancer at age seven. Rob and
Risha remain committed to fighting the fight and created an
endowment at Palmetto Health Foundation in Bayler's memory.
- Dr. Kevin McRedmond — Former
pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Palmetto Health Children's
Hospital; now chief medical officer at Hands of
Hope, Hospice Care of South Carolina.
- Harold Bessent — Long-time donor
and fundraiser for CAMP KEMO, led by Palmetto Health Children's
Hospital.
Hosting today's event was MSNBC news anchor and NBC news
correspondent Craig Melvin, who
hails from Columbia, S.C. Melvin
spent a portion of his journalism career in Columbia. In early 2013, Craig's
three-year-old niece Jasmine was diagnosed with a rare form of
cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma. Complications put Jasmine in a
Washington, D.C. children's
hospital for nearly three months, and only six months following the
diagnosis, Jasmine died.
"Unfortunately, my family has significant and painful
experiences with childhood cancer, which makes it very personal for
us," Mr. Melvin said. "But you don't have to experience this
terrible disease to see its impact and to make it your personal
mission to help stamp out childhood cancer."
"Aflac could not be more proud to honor the large footprint left
by people like the Teal family, Dr. McRedmond and Mr. Bessent who
personify the care and dedication we need to eventually eradicate
children's cancer," said Kathelen
Amos, President of the Aflac Foundation. "Through altruism,
passion and even pain, these individuals have shown themselves to
be true soldiers in this cause, which our company, employees and
sales agents have embraced for nearly 20 years."
"Our honorees exemplify passion, dedication and commitment in
the fight against childhood cancer," said Samuel Tenenbaum, president, Palmetto Health
Foundation. "Uniting with Aflac for the Duckprints awards helps us
shine a light on wonderful people who are making an impact in our
community."
Earlier this year, Aflac announced its new goal of reaching the
$100 million mark for contributions
to childhood cancer. Since 1995, the company has raised and
contributed more than $90 million. As
part of the Duckprints campaign, Aflac is calling on unsung heroes
across America to become active in the cause. People can get
involved by taking to social media to talk about childhood cancer.
Aflac is donating $2 for any
duckprints-related social actions taken on various social mediums
up to $2 million. Related social
actions include:
Twitter - $2 for any tweet
using the hashtag #duckprints or for 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
new 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 follow the Aflac duck on his journey to
hospitals around the country honoring those who have made a
difference in 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 going
toward the treatment and research of childhood cancer.
About Duckprints Award Recipients Rob &
Risha Teal
Bayler Teal,
diagnosed in September 2008, at age
five, with Neuroblastoma, "was a strong, brave, courageous warrior
against this beast we call cancer," and was treated by what his
parents refer to as the "heaven-sent" Child Life specialists at
Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. Bayler passed in 2010 at the
age of seven, yet his parents Rob and Risha, along with siblings
Bridges and Piper, remain stoically committed to the fight. Their
story is one of loss, but sincere gratitude for the care they
received at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. "These special
people were so patient, so compassionate, and so gentle, that they
quickly gained Bayler's trust. The lengths they took to make such a
terrible experience as comfortable as it could be was beyond any
expectation we could have imagined. It was not the hospital
experience of the old days where the attitude was 'we're the
professionals and you're the patient, so do as we say and do it
now'. They told us early in his journey, that they would
allow Bayler to make as many decisions as possible, because it was
so important that he know that he had not lost complete control of
his life."
Bayler's legacy continues through the Bayler's Prayer Endowment
established at Palmetto Health Foundation. Funds from the endowment
help ensure the environment of love, patience, understanding, and
yes – fun – provided by the staff and workers of the Children's
Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Palmetto Health Children's
Hospital in Columbia, SC
continues.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Dr. Kevin McRedmond
Now retired from Palmetto
Health Children's Hospital, Dr. McRedmond left his footprint in the
fight through his practice of Hematology-Oncology for 22 years. He
also served as a participating member of the Children's Oncology
Group during that time and contributed to research studies, some of
which were featured in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr.
McRedmond is extremely proud that this center was, and remains, the
only federally-funded Hemophilia treatment center in South Carolina; more so, it continues to be
the largest provider of care. Dr. McRedmond's legacy shines through
the lives he has saved, and the families and doctors that he has
inspired. Dr. McRedmond now serves as chief medical officer at
Hands of Hope, Hospice Care of South
Carolina.
About Duckprints Award Recipient Harold
Bessent
A long-time Palmetto Health Foundation donor and
fundraiser whose motivation was inspired many years ago when a
relative's child was diagnosed with cancer, Mr. Bessent is the
owner of famous Fat Harold's Beach Club in North Myrtle Beach, S.C He is a legend to the
shag dance community as well as the kids who attend CAMP KEMO, a
camp for children with cancer and their siblings, which is led by
Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. In 1980, Bessent was
introduced to the medical director for the Children's Center for
Cancer and Blood Disorders at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital.
Through this relationship, Bessent began shag dance fundraisers in
1981 and has continued them for 33 years; as of this year, his
fundraisers have generated more than $1.2
million to support CAMP KEMO and its related programs.
About Craig
Melvin
Craig Melvin
began his career at local Columbia NBC affiliate WIS, and while
there, participated in Palmetto Health Children's Hospital annual
telethon and radiothon several times, becoming a perennial favorite
among donors. He connected well with families and kids, was
sincere, positive and fun, and the Columbia community warmly embraced his
attitude towards helping those in need. A short time later, Craig's
good work in Columbia sent him to
the national stage as MSNBC Live anchor and an NBC News
correspondent in New York.
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 Palmetto Health Children's Hospital
Palmetto
Health Children's Hospital, South
Carolina's first freestanding children's hospital, treats
more than 80,000 sick and injured children in South Carolina annually in its inpatient and
outpatient facilities. As a major pediatric referral center,
Palmetto Health Children's Hospital offers more than 30
subspecialties devoted strictly to children.
About Palmetto Health Foundation
Palmetto Health
Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, engages community
partners to enhance health care for patients and families served by
Palmetto Health. For more, visit PalmettoHealthFoundation.org.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140604/94299
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100423/CL92305LOGO
Media contacts – Jon Sullivan,
706.763.4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Ashley Dusenbury (Palmetto Health
Foundation) 803.434.2738 or 803.730.4969 (cell)
Ashley.Dusenbury@PalmettoHealth.org
Analyst and investor contact – Robin Y.
Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, or
rwilkey@aflac.com.
SOURCE Aflac