Highlighting its 27-year commitment to children and families facing childhood cancer and sickle cell disease (SCD), Aflac, the number one provider of supplemental health insurance in the U.S.¹ and Be The Match®, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, which has helped facilitate more than 111,000 blood stem cell transplants worldwide, today announced a partnership to continue diversifying the national blood stem cell donor registry. The agreement is part of Aflac's overall campaign commemorating National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, both of which occur in September. Since 1995, Aflac has contributed more than $160 million to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the largest sickle cell care provider in the United States.

Beginning in September, Aflac and Be The Match will conduct an ongoing digital registration drive aimed at adding hundreds of Aflac employees and sales agents to the national registry of volunteer blood stem cell and marrow donors. Together, the two companies will work alongside NBA player Marcus Smart, who lost his brother and mother to blood cancer, to shine a light on health care inequities that exist, particularly as it relates to the diversity of blood stem cell and marrow registries. Their efforts will include an informative webinar that will be hosted by U.S. News and World Report on September 28 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.

"One of the defining moments of my life was seeing my oldest brother courageously battle leukemia. His legacy continues to inspire me on and off the court, as do all of the young patients who are fighting for their lives to beat leukemia or sickle cell disease," Marcus Smart said. "To know that there is a potential cure for blood cancer and blood disorders but those cures aren't available to all patients because of their ethnicity is unacceptable. That's why I'm joining Aflac and Be The Match to use my voice and encourage everyone to consider swabbing their cheek and joining the national blood stem cell registry. This is just one way we can give hope to patients and help save more lives."

According to Be The Match, a significant disparity exists, based on ethnic background, when it pertains to finding a matching donor for lifesaving blood stem cell or marrow transplants.

Tissue types used in matching are inherited and unique, so patients are most likely to match someone of the same ethnic ancestry or ethnic background. Given the diversity in tissue types, the odds of a Black or African American patient finding a match is 29%, compared to a white individual, who has a 79% chance.

"This initiative with Be The Match focuses on two of Aflac's long held passions, helping children with cancer and blood disorders, and supporting programs that help close equity gaps, such as the one that currently exists related to access to bone marrow matches in the United States," said Aflac Executive Vice President, General Counsel Audrey Boone Tillman. "It also aligns perfectly with the incredible work of Be The Match, whose vision is to ensure everyone has an equal chance at getting their life-saving transplant, particularly for many children with sickle cell and blood cancers such as leukemia. There is a dire need, especially for children of color, to encourage friends and family to register with Be The Match."

"Every year, 12,000 patients are diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers or other diseases like sickle cell for which a blood stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor is their best or only hope for a cure. With 70% of patients not having a fully matched donor in their family, they depend on Be The Match to find an unrelated donor," said Erica Jensen, Senior Vice President, Member Engagement, Enrollment and Experience, for Be The Match. "To address existing disparities head on, it's essential to register as many young, diverse members as we can to ensure more people will find a match. In partnership with Aflac and Marcus Smart, we are urging everyone to get involved, swab their cheek and help save a life."