COLUMBUS, Ga., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- During the past five years, almost 200,000 festively dressed plush Aflac Ducks have waddled their way off Macy's store shelves into the arms of adoring holiday shoppers, raising nearly $1 million for hospitals that treat children living with cancer. Launched in 2001, Aflac and the department store giant partnered to sell collectible versions of the popular duck with all profits donated to children's hospitals located throughout the country.

The limited-edition talking ducks are on sale (from Nov. 1) at 59 Macy's store locations in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. Shoppers nationwide can purchase the ducks by visiting holidayducks.com, macys.com, or by calling the Macys' toll-free at 800-macys4U or (800-622-9748).

"Our customers and employees love the ducks. We're so pleased that the sale of these ducks is helping the hospitals to provide much needed life- saving services to children living with cancer and to the families of the children," said Ellen Fruchtman, Macy's divisional vice president of public relations in Atlanta.

Since the start of the Holiday Duck program, hospitals like the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis have been the beneficiaries of the duck sales. Aflac expanded the program in 2004 to include Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle and The Children's Hospital of Birmingham. This year's program will include 15 additional medical facilities. A total of 23 hospitals will benefit from the duck sales. Each hospital keeps 100 percent of the proceeds from ducks sold in their markets.

"We're determined to do everything we can to raise money for the research and treatment that will eventually wipe out childhood cancer. Each year we're closer than we were the year before," said Al Johnson, second vice president of Aflac Corporate Communications.

The 2005 Holiday Duck arrives in stores perched atop a red and black sled wearing a matching wintergreen scarf and hat sprinkled with snowflakes. The ducks say, "Aflac, Aflac, Aflac!" when squeezed, and cost $10 for the six-inch version and $15 for the 10-inch.

Media Contact:
Patsy J. Thomas
Aflac Incorporated
(706) 317-6109
(706) 320-2288 (Fax)
Pthomas3@aflac.com

SOURCE Aflac Incorporated

NOTE TO EDITORS: For 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life- interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Aflac's insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in both Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies and Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies for five consecutive years. In January 2005, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the seventh consecutive year. Aflac was also included in Fortune magazine's list of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities in August 2005, and in September 2005, Aflac Japan was named the Life Insurance Company of the Year at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards, sponsored by the Asia Insurance Review. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.