Aflac, Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance team up to get therapeutic, robotic ducks to child cancer patients
ROSEVILLE -- Children with cancer got a special gift Thursday to help kick off the holiday season, thanks to Aflac and the Roseville nonprofit, Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance.
The "My Special Aflac Duck" is a robotic animal that scientific research has shown provides therapeutic benefits, joy and comfort to child cancer patients while they are receiving treatment.
"Through 18 months of research of 160 patients at eight hospitals, what we learned was that the duck actually helps reduce anxiety in children going through cancer. Not only that, it helped reduce anxiety of their parents as well," said Buffy Swinehart, director of corporate social responsibility for Aflac.
Aflac has gifted 33,000 free robotic ducks to children across the country, with about 200 in the Sacramento region.
The talkative duck comes with its own medical device kit and has its own chemo port.
"When the kids receive this duck, their faces just light up. Our hope is that it provides them some level of comfort and joy during a really difficult journey they are going through," Swinehart said.
The duck comes with "emotion" chips that, when pressed to the duck's chest, can help children express how they are feeling.
"He will act out that emotion. This is 'silly,' " Swinehart said, demonstrating the duck's response when the "silly" emotion chip is presented. "And this is 'calm.' He takes these deep breaths."
The goal is to help these children not feel so alone as they face a daunting cancer diagnosis.
"I think he's cute," one child said of her new duck.
Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance teamed up with Aflac to get the ducks out to the children Keaton's serves.
The nonprofit organization celebrates and helps families of children with cancer year-round — but especially this time of year when treatment comes before getting gifts under the tree.
"The holidays are not the priority. It's fighting for your child's life. Knowing that and the financial strain and hardship families experience, our goal is to alleviate that stress," said Jessica Alonso, director of Keaton's.
The group's goal is to financially, emotionally and educationally support families as they navigate childhood cancer.
From Thanksgiving meal kits and gift cards to crafts and prioritizing special family time, hardship during the holidays is outshined by a community in Keaton's and something so simple as something to snuggle.