Aflac and Peach Bowl, Inc. announced they have raised and donated $457,759 through the 2025 Aflac Kickoff Games as part of their “Kickoff for a Cause” initiative. This year’s efforts bring the three-year total to $1,224,075, reflecting both organizations’ ongoing commitment to helping children and families facing cancer and blood disorders through every stage of treatment. The initiative aligns with September’s National Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

Peach Bowl, Inc., college football’s most charitable bowl organization, has a longstanding relationship with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In 2019, Peach Bowl, Inc. established the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center with a $20 million gift to fund clinical trials and studies for cutting-edge treatments for children with cancer. Peach Bowl, Inc. donated an additional $2.5 million earlier this year and continues to raise additional funds through initiatives like the Peach Bowl Touchdowns for Children’s campaign, where fan donations per touchdown are matched by the organization. To date, Peach Bowl, Inc. has raised over $26.4 million for Children’s, which has created 18 clinical trials and studies where 79 children are enrolled at seven pediatric and adult facilities around the country. 

“We’re using the power of college football to make a meaningful impact on families facing childhood cancer,” said Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President Gary Stokan. “In partnership with Aflac, an organization that shares our dedication to giving back, we’re expanding our reach through the ‘Kickoff for a Cause’ initiative as we use football for the greater good.”

Aflac, the leading provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S.,¹ has helped support children with cancer and blood disorders for nearly three decades. Since 1995, Aflac independent sales agents, employees and The Aflac Foundation, Inc., have given more than $191 million to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, which serves approximately 9,500 pediatric patients with cancer and blood disorders each year.

“Marking 30 years of support for the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center through Kickoff for a Cause makes this milestone especially meaningful,” said President of Aflac Incorporated and Aflac U.S. Virgil Miller. “This year, we extended Kickoff for a Cause by launching the Check for Cancer initiative at the Aflac Kickoff Game, turning the everyday checkered pattern into a reminder that early detection saves lives.”

Throughout the 2025 Aflac Kickoff Games, Aflac and Peach Bowl, Inc. hosted unique experiences and fundraising efforts for Kickoff for a Cause, including: 

• Patient experiences: Tennessee fan Hudson, 13, and Syracuse fan Judy, 11, were honored as special guests ahead of the first Aflac Kickoff Game. Hudson, diagnosed with a brain tumor last December, celebrated his 13th birthday during game weekend. Judy reached a major milestone, completing her final round of chemotherapy for Ewing’s sarcoma during the game. Both enjoyed exclusive meet-and-greets with University of Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel and Syracuse Head Coach Fran Brown, toured team facilities and received My Special Aflac Duck®, a free resource designed to comfort children with cancer or blood disorders.

• Partnership giving: Aflac and Peach Bowl, Inc. each pledged $100,000 to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s, contributing a total of $200,000.

• Endowed scholarships: Peach Bowl, Inc.’s commitment to furthering students’ secondary education through tuition support included $50,000 donations to each school in this year’s games, totaling $200,000.

• 50/50 raffle: During the 2025 Aflac Kickoff Games, fans were able to make donations toward the 50/50 raffle, with half the proceeds going to a winning fan and the other half benefiting the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund, resulting in an additional $53,719 donation to Children’s.

• Special ticket offering: A unique ticket package featuring a $10 donation to the Peach Bowl LegACy Fund for each ticket purchased sold 404 tickets, adding $4,040 to the total.

• Check for Cancer: For every in-feed social media post using #CheckForCancer, Aflac will donate $5 to childhood cancer research and care, up to $1 million. 

Since 2023, Aflac and Peach Bowl, Inc. have leveraged the platform of college football to bring awareness and raise funds for their shared cause. Together, they remain dedicated to advancing care, research and support for children facing cancer, creating impact that extends well beyond the field.