Aflac Brings the Magic of Fútbol to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

MIAMI, June 20, 2024 /3BL/ -- Aflac, the leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S.¹, partnered once again with beloved TV personality and cancer survivor, Adamari López, to bring the excitement and joy of soccer to pediatric patients at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. This event marks the second consecutive year that Aflac has aligned with López as the company continues in its mission to support the communities, families and patients impacted by cancer and blood disorders, particularly in the Hispanic American community.

Designed to spread joy and offer an interactive day for patients, the event celebrated the love for a sport that is deeply rooted in Latin America and followed by Latinos in the United States.

Adamari López, an avid soccer lover who shares this same passion with her daughter, Alaïa, engaged with the patients and their families, bringing the excitement and camaraderie of the sport. The event featured various stations where children may design their own soccer pennants, enjoy concessions-style treats and take home some special souvenirs. Each child also received a passport to take with them as they explored different countries participating in the upcoming soccer tournament, combining fun with educational elements.

"Aflac and I have a shared mission of bringing inspiration and hope for those going through their own wellness journey, whether faced with a cancer diagnosis or another condition," said López. "I absolutely love the enthusiasm around the soccer games, and this event is the perfect way to share that message with the precious patients at Nicklaus Children's Hospital."

Adamari has previously worked with Aflac on initiatives supporting the Hispanic community, focusing on cancer awareness and preventive care, including findings from the 2023 Aflac Wellness Matters Survey. Additionally, data from the soon-to-be released second annual survey is in, and Aflac will be kicking off a campaign designed to generate awareness of the need for people in the Hispanic community to urge their loved ones to take charge of their personal health. In fact, 79% of Hispanics are likely to go for routine medical checkups if a friend or loved one encourages them to do so, 10% higher than the general population. Through initiatives like this, Aflac remains committed to being a part of culturally relevant moments as it continues to serve and support the Hispanic community.

"It is an absolute pleasure to once again work with Adamari — who has been a source of inspiration for many as they go through their own cancer journey — and Nicklaus Children's Hospital to bring the excitement of the soccer championship games to their pediatric patients," said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer, senior vice president and chief communications officer at Aflac. "We know that the hospital setting can be stressful, so we are glad to bring some joy and comfort to these children and their families — something we have been doing since 2018."

"Patient experiences like this one provide the opportunity to impact patient families beyond bedside care," said Perry Ann Reed, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Nicklaus Children's Health System and president of Nicklaus Children's Hospital. "Thanks to supporters like Aflac and Adamari, we are able to give patients a moment of fun and a break from the day-to-day of being in a hospital setting."

This initiative was an extension of Aflac's long-standing dedication to supporting pediatric patients battling cancer or sickle cell disease. Since 1995, Aflac employees, agents and The Aflac Foundation Inc. have donated more than $182 million to support the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and blood disorders. With the goal to expand their impact even further, Aflac joined Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in 2016 as a national partner and, as an extension of the Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign™, Aflac created My Special Aflac Duck^®, an award-winning robotic, comforting companion designed especially for patients with pediatric cancer or sickle cell disease. Since 2018, we've delivered more than 30,000 of these special ducks.

About Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Where Your Child Matters Most ™ 
Founded in 1950 as Variety Children's Hospital, Nicklaus Children's is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with approximately 850 attending physicians, including more than 500 pediatric subspecialists. The 307-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many specialty programs routinely ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and since 2003 has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.

ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED 
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 68 years 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. 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 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability."

¹ LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report

Media contact: Jon Sullivan, 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com

Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young, 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com

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