Originally published on Aflac Newsroom
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / September 2, 2025 / Aflac employee Cyronn Herrington had a unique childhood, starting at birth. He was diagnosed with hemophilia B, a chronic bleeding disorder that keeps blood from clotting properly.
"I had to always be in some form of a bubble," said Cyronn. "I couldn't do certain physical activities, no sports or anything like that."
Bleeds can occur at any time, anywhere, but especially in target joints - a place in the body where bleeding is most likely to occur. For Cyronn, his target joint is his right knee. In 2009, he injured it at a summer camp when he fell off a bicycle.
Neither Cyronn nor his parents had any idea at the time what an impact this injury would have. Later that year, Cyronn needed a wheelchair or crutches, and he underwent several surgeries from 2009 to 2014.
One of these surgeries brought him to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a national leader in pediatric cancer and blood disorders treatment and research. The surgery resulted in a loss of blood flow between his knee and foot due to shrunken arteries in his leg after years of immobilization. Ultimately, he lost his leg at 14 years old and spent three months recovering at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.
While Cyronn recovered from his surgery, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center offered many great experiences which helped shine a bright light on the road ahead, including meeting the Ole Miss football team, various musical artists and frequent opportunities to work with therapy dogs.
According to Cyronn, an important part of the recovery process is staying positive. That is the advice he received as a patient and would impart to anyone in a similar situation. "At the center, I was treated with a lot of respect - they really understood me," he said. "They encouraged me to stay focused on the end goal, and that's what I like to tell others: What you don't do is give up or stop believing in yourself."
Cyronn continued his journey at the the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta until 2021, when he transferred to the adult clinic at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta. His connection with Aflac, however, had only just begun.
After a lifelong passion for computing and IT, Cyronn earned his bachelor's degree in Information Technology from Middle Georgia State University. He applied for an internship with Aflac, where he began his IT career with the Project Portfolio Management team. Cyronn has been part of Aflac ever since, now working as a Data Engineer with the Data Tools Administration team.
Cyronn also likes to give back, dedicating his time to working with children with hemophilia as a camp counselor at Camp Wannaklot, where he has been a counselor for the past seven years after attending several years as a camper. He also recently shared his story at the Care-A-Thon fundraising event benefiting the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.
Camp Wannaklot helps kids with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders experience the fun of summer camp while making new friends. Cyronn appreciates the sense of community that Camp Wannaklot gave him, including "the opportunity to grow in my adult hemophiliac life."
In his free time, Cyronn enjoys playing video games, swimming, watching professional wrestling and creating content for his YouTube channel that recently surpassed 11,000 subscribers.
To learn more about the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, including how to help, visit the Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta website.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation for insurance.
This article contains the opinions of Cyronn, who is an Aflac employee and is not intended to portray any specific benefits or details of Aflac insurance.
Aflac | Aflac New York | WWHQ 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
Z2500795
Exp 8/26
View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Aflac Incorporated on 3blmedia.com.
Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Aflac Incorporated
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/aflac-incorporated
Email: info@3blmedia.com
SOURCE: Aflac Incorporated
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/from-patient-to-lifelong-inspiration-aflac-employee-cyronn-herringto-1067817
