Bragging rights will be up for grabs as Aflac Northern Ireland launches the inaugural ‘Tech Crowd’ Quiz Night designed to bring the local technology community together to help raise funds for charity. The inter-company event, to be held on 26th September from 7-10pm at the Black Box in Belfast, will feature teams of five facing off with each other in an interactive general knowledge speed quiz, featuring game show-style buzz in rounds and bonus points for the fastest answers. Money raised at the event will go towards Aflac NI’s charity partner The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity (CCUC).
The inaugural quiz night, which coincides with the international Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, is part of a wider drive by Aflac NI, part of global insurance leader Aflac Inc., to raise money for the Children’s Cancer and Haematology Unit, the only facility in Northern Ireland that provides essential care for children diagnosed with cancer. Participants in the event will enjoy pizza and a drink on arrival, as they gain valuable networking opportunities. A charity raffle will also benefit children facing cancer and blood disorders in Northern Ireland.
Aflac NI VP and Managing Director Mark McCormack said:
“We are hoping this evening will be a huge success that will become an annual part of the charitable giving among Northern Ireland’s tech community, with hosts and beneficiaries rotating from company to company each year. The local ‘tech crowd’ is a close community and we are delighted to host this inaugural opportunity for that community to come together in a competitive but sociable environment, while also raising money for an incredible cause.
“As a company, we have a strong ethos that giving back to the community around us isn’t just nice to have, but is a core part of who we are.
“This year, we have a goal to raise at least £10,000 to support CCUC, an amazing local charity that does phenomenal work with children impacted by cancer and their families.”
Aflac NI’s relationship with CCUC and the Children’s Cancer and Haematology Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children has to date raised helped to raise more than £45,000.
The partnership has expanded the company’s primary philanthropic cause of supporting the treatment and research of childhood cancer and blood disorders here in Northern Ireland.
In the U.S., since 1995, Aflac has contributed more than $183 million to childhood cancer and blood disorders causes and has provided significant resources in Japan as well, including the funding of Parents’ Houses that provide places for families to stay while undergoing treatments.
Aflac has also donated more than 31,000 of its My Special Aflac Ducks across the US, Japan and Northern Ireland. The robotic soft toy companions are designed to help children fighting cancer to communicate their feelings and prepare for surgery have been shown through an independent study conducted at 8 hospitals across the United States, to significantly reduce the stress and anxiety for children and their families. See more about My Special Aflac Duck here.
Jane Hoare, CEO at The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity added:
“Every year between 60 and 70 children in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with cancer. Each of them will visit the Children’s Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children during their treatment journey. The support of Aflac NI and other benefactors has a direct and profound impact on the lives of these children and their families, ensuring they receive the best possible care and support during their toughest times.”
For more information or register your team, or donate a raffle prize, contact QuizNight@Aflac.com.