Caring for a child with an illness or medical condition can feel isolating, but you’re not alone. A mother of a young boy facing a rare form of cancer and her son’s child life specialist joined the "Child Life On Call" podcast for a heartfelt conversation about their journey and the benefits of community support along the way.

When Lurie Children's Hospital playroom closed due to the coronavirus,
it took away a refuge for sick children. Staff members improvised by
bringing toy packages to patients — including 6-year-old Chase
Peterson, the recipient of a My Special Aflac Duck dubbed
Mr. Quackers.

Not all heroes wear capes. Jessica is a certified child life specialist who established a child life program and played a pivotal role in the creation of Aflac’s Child Life Specialist Care Kit. She's also a recipient of a 2020 Aflac Childhood Cancer Foundation $2,500 grant, which funded the purchase of virtual reality headsets and games for patients to use when they travel to adult hospitals for procedures.

Five-year-old Ryder Oliver was airlifted to the Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center for brain surgery after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. A year later — living in remission — Ryder helped collect 22 units of blood when he hosted a blood drive benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.