Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Aflac. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
Pediatric oncologist Dr. Kelly Goldsmith has seen firsthand how treatment and care for children facing cancer and blood disorders have evolved at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center of Children's Health Care of Atlanta.
"The progress has been extraordinary. Precision medicine and sequencing the patient's genome and the tumor genome have really allowed us to have more targeted therapies. Immunotherapy has allowed the patient's own immune system to wake up and fight cancer," Goldsmith said.
Progress extends beyond new treatments. Helping children and families through every step of the journey is also a priority. Long-term support from individuals, families, government resources, and companies like Aflac, which recently passed the $200 million mark in contributions since 1995, makes that possible.
Buffy Swinehart, who leads corporate social responsibility for Aflac, emphasized the importance of that support.
"Research creates the possibility of better treatment and improved outcomes. Supporting families means helping children both during and after treatment," Swinehart said.
The impact of those advances is reflected in the growing number of adult survivors across the country. Carson Hand was diagnosed with cancer at just 16. He was subsequently treated and cured. Today, Hand is an Aflac sales agent and a strong advocate for children going through similar challenges.
"Cancer is such a scary thing, and every provider, every doctor, every nurse had a positive attitude. And really what I found is that it made a huge difference for me," Hand said.
Hand's journey, along with those of the thousands of kids like him diagnosed every year, highlights how advances in treatment and care can help change the course of a child's life forever.
To learn how you can support families facing childhood cancer and blood disorders, visit aflacchildhoodcancer.org.
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