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My Special Aflac Duck® Puts Love and Care in the hands of Children at Riley Hospital

News Provided by PR Newswire2026-10-28

My Special Aflac Duck® Puts Love and Care in the hands of Children at Riley Hospital

[28-October-2026]

Aflac Donates Comforting robotic companions to pediatric cancer and blood disorder patients

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Children receiving care for cancer and blood disorders at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis have a new companion to help bring comfort and joy throughout their treatment journeys. Aflac Incorporated, the leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S¹, delivered 40 My Special Aflac Ducks^® Tuesday.

A patient receives their My Special Aflac Duck® at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Since 2018, Aflac has distributed nearly 50,000 of the ducks complimentary to pediatric cancer and sickle cell patients age three and up.

Riley Hospital for Children has been supported for more than 100 years by Riley Children's Foundation. Their fundraising efforts have contributed to Riley Children's Health and Riley-affiliated pediatric research programs at Indiana University School of Medicine, enabling care for more than 300,000 patients each year in Indiana as the state's only nationally-ranked hospital.

"Children facing cancer and blood disorders show remarkable courage every day, and we are glad to offer them a bit of help to make difficult moments a little easier, which is the overriding purpose of My Special Aflac Duck," said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer, Aflac senior vice president and chief communications officer. "We are honored to partner with Riley Hospital for Children and grateful for the compassionate care its team provides to children and families every day across Indiana."

As part of a fun-filled day, patients and families were provided with a demonstration of My Special Aflac Duck, which includes accessories like RFID emoji cards that promote communication and medical play. Additionally, an engaging app enables kids to actively participate in a variety of activities. Each child also took part in a scavenger hunt around the hospital, eventually finding their way to tasty treats before receiving their very own My Special Aflac Duck.

Designed in consultation with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in partnership with Empath Labs, My Special Aflac Duck features lifelike movement and interactive tools that support children throughout their treatment. In 2024, a three-year clinical study conducted at 8 hospitals across the United States with 160 patients, found evidence suggesting that pediatric patients who received My Special Aflac Duck experienced reductions in treatment-related distress and anxiety, while parents and caregivers also reported positive benefits. The award-winning companion was named one of TIME magazine's Best Inventions of 2018 and earned Best in Show honors at CES 2018 and South by Southwest 2019.

"We are grateful to Aflac for its commitment to supporting children and families facing cancer and blood disorders," said Courtney Roberts, president and CEO at Riley Children's Foundation. "Innovative resources like My Special Aflac Duck help us care for the whole child while bringing moments of comfort, connection and play during challenging times. We're thankful for Aflac's partnership and the positive impact it will have on the children and families we serve."

Since its debut, Aflac has delivered more than 48,000 My Special Aflac Ducks free of charge, to children facing cancer and blood disorders in the United States, Japan and Northern Ireland. The program is a hallmark of Aflac's longstanding commitment to children with pediatric cancer and blood disorders, including a recently achieved milestone of contributing more than $200 million toward research, treatment and support programs over the past three decades.

Health care providers, support organizations and families can order a My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children ages 3 and older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at MySpecialAflacDuck.com.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products.¹ In Japan, Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force.² The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 20 consecutive years (2026) and Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 25 years (2026). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/español. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."

¹ LIMRA 2025 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report
² As of March 31, 2025, Aflac estimates based on company data

ABOUT RILEY CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
Riley Children's Foundation is Indiana's preeminent nonprofit dedicated to funding children's healthcare and the founding organization that opened Riley Hospital for Children in 1924. Today, Riley Children's Foundation inspires communities to invest in world-class pediatric research and care at Riley Children's Health and Indiana University School of Medicine, and in programs like Camp Riley that support the well-being of kids and families.