As a pioneer in supplemental cancer insurance, Aflac sees the devastating impact of cancer and recognized that children and their families need more than medicine to cope the disease. That’s why the company collaborated with Sproutel, a research and development workshop, to create My Special Aflac Duck.

With a patent for the duck’s aesthetics, the robotic companion is engineered with purpose to help support pediatric cancer patients through every stage of their cancer journey and distract them from the rigors of their treatments.

After almost 18 months of hands-on research with pediatric cancer patients, their families and medical experts, these unique features were developed:

•A built-in chemotherapy port and miniature medical tools helps kids understand their treatment.

•An interactive mobile app allows children to travel through the duck’s home and discover hidden animations, as well as virtually bathe and feed it.

•Preset or customizable soundscapes provide soothing visuals and sounds.

•Smart sensors enable touch and awareness of light and sounds, including a calming heartbeat and breathing vibrations.

•Seven feeling cards help children communicate, as the duck acts out the selected emotion when a card is tapped to its chest.

In 2018, Aflac launched its innovation and its part of their mission to distribute a duck to every child in America with cancer above the age of 3, free of charge. The duck can be ordered online for free by health care professionals and is delivered directly to health care facilities and childhood cancer organizations. It can be reordered as often as needed so that every patient can have their own duck to keep by their side for life.

The program solves both a social and brand challenge. Aflac’s strategy aimed to establish the need for it while advancing a movement around an underfunded, often underpublicized issue to meet its objectives:

•Make a direct impact on families facing cancer. The duck has supported more than 10,000 patients during their cancer journey while providing a platform for those within the pediatric cancer community to share their stories. With emotional resonance and national relevance, the program has driven greater public attention and conversation around the cause.

•Serve an under-met need: social-emotional support. The animatronic duck is a one-of-a-kind resource for professionals to use during cancer care and aid in their communication with patients. Through lifelike movement and play, it’s helping kids express their feelings and needs, and providing them a sense of normalcy and control during an uncontrollable time.

•Link awareness of Aflac’s philanthropic contributions to the company and demonstrate how doing good is good for business. Aflac positioned its duck as part of its longstanding Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign™, and through continued outreach to press, influencers and advocates, the program reengaged audiences with its CSR contributions.

Results provided a yardstick with which Aflac could compare its efforts and offered a newsworthy opportunity to tell a holistic story of its role in supporting families facing cancer, as well as the power of social robotics in improving the lives of a medically vulnerable population.