(BPT) – If you know a family facing childhood cancer or a blood disorder like sickle cell disease, you may want to help but don’t know where to start. This guide, created by experts at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Aflac, is intended to serve as a toolkit with different ways to provide support.

Here are some ideas to show up for families navigating childhood cancer, sickle cell or another serious illness:

Comfort

Support — Offer to…

Instead of asking, “Can I help?”, it’s best to offer specific acts of service (for example, “Can I send you some dinner?” or, “Can I babysit the other kids for you?”).

Taking Inspiration from My Special Aflac Duck^®

For nearly three decades, Aflac has been committed to supporting those who care for children with cancer and blood disorders and has donated more than $184 million to the cause. In 2018, the company created My Special Aflac Duck^®, a robotic companion that provides comfort and support to children, helps them express their emotions and normalizes medical procedures. As of September, 2024, Aflac has distributed more than 31,000 of these ducks free of charge to children above the age of three with cancer and sickle cell disease.

Following a three-year study of 160 childhood cancer patients and their families, My Special Aflac Duck has been clinically demonstrated to help improve the mental and emotional health of children and parents going through the cancer journey. Initial findings from the study, conducted at hospitals across the U.S., reported reductions in anxiety and distress in children who use My Special Aflac Duck as part of their treatment, as well as improvement in parents’ mental health.

My Special Aflac Duck is unique. But each of us can learn from My Special Aflac Duck’s superpower — offering comfort and support to children and families who need it most — and do the same for those we care about.

Visit http://www.aflac.com/bridgetobrighter for more ways to make a positive difference to families affected by childhood cancer and blood disorders.