Robot ducks and award-winning basketball player visit kids at UVA Children’s Hospital

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Aflac and UVA Women’s Basketball brought some joy to UVA Children’s Hospital Thursday, June 15.

“When kids are going through treatment, such as pediatric cancers or blood disorder, the best thing we can do is try to comfort them,” President of Aflac of U.S. Virgil Miller said.

Aflac brought along a special duck to meet patients at the hospital: “This duck display emotions, they can come alive and really make the children feel safe and secure during the most terrible time in there lives,” Miller said.

These social, robotic ducks are designed for children with cancer and sickle cell disease. The ducks help communicate their feelings and provide some much-needed distractions.

“Having any kind of chronic disease or cancer or chromosomal disorder like sickle cell disease, it can be scary,” Michael Engel with the hospital said.

UVA Women’s Basketball legend Dawn Staley and Coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton were also on-hand Thursday.

“We’re here because we hope to bring smiles on their faces,” Staley said.

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