Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the U.S. and a longtime champion of the childhood cancer cause, announced that it will once again sponsor CureFest. A grassroots event, CureFest aims to make childhood cancer research a national priority by uniting the childhood cancer community, the general public, the brightest medical minds and elected leaders as one voice against childhood cancer. This is the second year that Aflac has sponsored CureFest after becoming the event's first national sponsor in 2016.

Organizers recently announced that Disney star and Top 40 artist Sabrina Carpenter will perform at the event. Her appearance is slated for Sunday, Sept. 17, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The event is open to the public, with no admission charge. Joining Carpenter will be 17-year-old childhood cancer survivor and 2016 "America's Got Talent" semifinalist Caly Bevier and acclaimed 11-year-old "So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation" competitor Diana Pombo.

"Last year, Aflac became the first national sponsor of CureFest, and we are pleased to be back in 2017 to support this incredibly important cause," Aflac Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Catherine Hernandez-Blades said. "According to 2014 figures from the National Cancer Institute, childhood cancer receives 4.1 percent of federal funding allotted to cancer treatment and research. Aflac believes that needs to change. Holding this annual event and bringing the power of celebrity and a large group of people who are committed to the cause together to raise needed attention is just what the doctor ordered for children and families facing cancer."

Aflac recently announced its Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign, which expands on the company's 22-year commitment to childhood cancer through four key areas: awareness, action, fundraising and volunteering.

"CureFest is a great fit for the Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign because we share the goal of building a movement around childhood cancer," Aflac Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Gail Galuppo said. "As a pioneer in cancer insurance, Aflac sees the impact of the disease every day as we support our policyholders. So, it makes sense that our corporate citizenship commitment focuses on providing innovative care and support to children who have cancer."

"We are delighted to once again have Aflac as a national sponsor for CureFest," said CureFest organizer Michael Gillette. "We applaud their leadership in giving more than $118 million to the cause. With the help of Aflac and other childhood cancer champions, who wear their collective hearts on their sleeves when it comes to children and cancer, we know that we are on the right path to finding a cure so that no family ever has to hear the words, 'Your child has cancer.'"

One simple way to help is by communicating on social media. Aflac donates $2, up to $1.5 million, each time an individual creates, shares or interacts with a social media post using the hashtag #Duckprints.*

*Related social actions include:

Twitter - $2 for any tweet using the hashtag #Duckprints or for retweets of Duckprints-related tweets.

Facebook - $2 for any share of posts related to Duckprints or using the hashtag #Duckprints.

YouTube - $2 per view of the Duckprints videos on YouTube.

Instagram - $2 for every post using the hashtag #Duckprints.