Coach Deion Sanders Delivers 'My Special Aflac Ducks' to Children's of Mississippi
Coach Deion Sanders has had many speaking engagements, interviews, and appearances during this year's Jackson State Homecoming Week. The dynamic head coach paused the JSU Tigers football team's battle preparation for Campbell to visit with a few little warriors fighting cancer at the Children's of Mississippi.
Aflac and Coach Deion Sanders delivered My Special Aflac Ducks to children receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders. Credit: Justin Ford/Getty Images for Aflac
The patients were delivered My Special Aflac Ducks® by Coach Prime and Aflac's US President Virgil Miller. The men spent Tuesday morning with the children, their parents, and family members at the hospital.
Many young patients are undergoing treatment for blood disorders and childhood cancer.
Aflac partnered with Sproutel to develop the "My Special Aflac Duck" as a social robot that helps provide social-emotional support to pediatric cancer patients above three through interactive technology and medical play.
Coach Prime and Virgil Miller Deliver My Special Aflac Ducks
The My Special Aflac Duck was designed to accompany children during their medical treatments and be used to play doctor. It comes equipped with a port-a-cath, stethoscope, pulse oximeter, syringe, and even self-adherent wrap.
Aflac has distributed more than 18,000 of these comfort-providing, interactive medical play devices to children with cancer and sickle cell disease. It is part of the company's 27-year, $162 million commitment to helping families cope with childhood cancer and blood disorders.
Jackson State will face a tough fight during its Homecoming game. The Tigers will host the Fighting Camel of Campbell at Veterans Memorial Stadium for a 2 PM CT kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 22. The tilt will be televised on ESPN+.