13-Year-Old Girl from Aflac Cancer Center Designs Carl Edwards' Car for Sunday Race

13-Year-Old Girl from Aflac Cancer Center Designs Carl Edwards' Car for Sunday Race

Carl Pledges to Donate His Portion of Race Winnings to the Aflac Cancer Center

COLUMBUS, Ga., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On September 6th, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion will sport a colorful new look inspired by a 13-year-old patient at the Aflac Cancer Center. Aflac invited children at the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service to "Color Carl's Car" for the Labor Day weekend race.

The chosen paint scheme, submitted by Jody Lawrence of Greensboro, Georgia, was selected among 54 other entries as part of Aflac's month-long effort to generate awareness for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. All of the children's drawings will be featured on the pit wall banner for the No. 99 race team. Edwards will wear a matching fire suit and a white helmet signed by children at the Aflac Cancer Center.

People can join the fight against pediatric cancer by donating to the Aflac Cancer Center (ACC) through the Aflac Cancer Center causes page which can be accessed on Facebook.com or at www.aflac.com/aflaccancercenter. Aflac will contribute one dollar for anyone who joins the ACC causes page and will match donations up to $1 million.

Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos kicked off the campaign by making a personal donation of $100,000 and challenged others to contribute to the fight against childhood cancer. Carl Edwards responded to this challenge by announcing on Facebook that he will donate his portion of the winnings from Sunday's race to the Aflac Cancer Center.

Aflac is also engaging NASCAR fans in the fight against childhood cancer through a text donation program which will run throughout the month of September. The NASCAR community can simply text "GoCarl" to 90999 using any carrier, to donate $5 per text, with charges appearing on customers' wireless bill. The NASCAR Foundation will match texted donations up to $10,000.

Childhood cancer is Aflac's primary philanthropic commitment and the number one cause of death by disease for young people under the age of 15. However, due to increased and improved research and treatment, since the 1980s, childhood cancer survival rates have improved from less than 20% to over 80% today.

"This is a wonderful campaign and a great example of how Aflac continues to support childhood cancer treatment and research," said Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion. "I am proud to be a part of this effort."

"Aflac is combining our passion for fighting childhood cancer with our NASCAR sponsorship of Carl Edwards to raise money and awareness for a great cause," said Paul Amos II, Aflac President and Chief Operating Officer. "By showcasing Jody's compelling story we hope to inspire NASCAR fans to help raise funds and support the research and treatment that takes place everyday at the Aflac Cancer Center."

As an additional program element, Aflac has teamed up with Motorsports Authentics to create a special die cast car, featuring the special paint scheme, which was sold on QVC and is still available online at www.nascarsuperstore.com. As part of the initiative, five percent of all profits from the die cast sales will be donated to the Aflac Cancer Center.

To date, Aflac has contributed more than $50 million to the Aflac Cancer Center. More than 16,000 independent Aflac sales agents contribute more than $225,000 from their commission checks each month. The Aflac Cancer Center treats more than 350 new cancer patients every year and has the largest sickle cell disease program in the country. The center treated 6,503 patients in 2008.

Fans can download images of Carl Edwards and the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion on www.AflacRacing.com.

About Aflac

For more than 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. As 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 insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide.

In 2009, Aflac was recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the third consecutive year and was also named by the Reputation Institute as the Most Reputable Company in the Global Insurance Industry for the second consecutive year. In 2009 Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the eleventh consecutive year. Fortune magazine also ranked Aflac No. 1 on its global list of America's Most Admired Companies in the Life and Health Insurance category. Aflac appears on Hispanic Enterprise magazine's list of the 50 Best Companies for Supplier Diversity and on Black Enterprise magazine's list of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity. Aflac was also named by Forbes magazine as America's Best-Managed Company in the Insurance category.

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.

About Roush Fenway Racing

Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR's largest team operating nine motorsports teams. Five teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; three teams (with six drivers) in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, McMurray, Ragan, Erik Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Colin Braun; and one in the Camping World Truck Series with Braun. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log on to www.RoushFenway.com. For sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704-720-4645.