NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / February 12, 2026 / By Dan Amos, chairman and CEO, Aflac Incorporated

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

Whether or not you celebrate Valentine's Day, I hope you take this opportunity to give the gift that matters most: time.

As I wrote in a recent article published on Time.com, cancer has touched my own family more than once, and those losses remain a constant reminder: We don't control how much time we get, but we do control how we use it. One appointment - one hour - can profoundly change the course of a life.

With 35 years of experience as a CEO, I've learned that our most precious resource is not capital, talent or technology - it's time. It's finite, irreplaceable and unequally distributed. And, ironically, it's the very thing many of us feel we lack when trying to prioritize our health. In fact, nearly half of respondents to the 2025 Aflac Wellness Matters Survey said the same thing, that time was the biggest obstacle to staying on schedule with cancer screenings. Busy workdays, packed calendars, family responsibilities and long wait times all compete with something as essential as a routine check that could help save a life.

Valentine's Day offers us a moment to rewrite that pattern. In addition to (or instead of) flowers or chocolates, consider giving the people you love a different kind of gift: encouragement and assistance that allows them to prioritize their health. Remind a spouse to schedule their mammogram. Urge a parent to book that long-postponed colonoscopy. Offer to watch a friend's kids so they can finally go to that appointment.

This February, let's expand our idea of love, and let's make it actionable. The greatest Valentine we can give is more time with the people who matter most. Encourage them - and yourself - to get checked for cancer. It may be the most meaningful gift you ever give.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation for insurance. Aflac's family of insurers includes American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and/or American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

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SOURCE: Aflac Incorporated