BLOOMFIELD, Conn., October 13, 2009 - CIGNA (NYSE:CI) today announced it has teamed with Dr. Mache Seibel, also known as DocRock, to help children learn how to be healthier through music. Dr. Seibel is a board-certified physician who teaches at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. In his spare time, his alter ego kicks in and he becomes DocRock, an award-winning composer and performer of songs that help teach kids healthy behaviors.
CIGNA is featuring several of Dr. Seibel’s songs, which he calls “HealthRock,” in the audio section of its health education web site, www.itstimetofeelbetter.com. Link directly at http://www.itstimetofeelbetter.com/know_stuff/audio.html. DocRock’s songs are in the new Kidz Corner. People can listen to them online or download them free of charge. CIGNA will also work with DocRock on other initiatives to help children become healthier.
To listen to a podcast of Dr. Seibel talking about his new relationship with CIGNA, and to learn more about HealthRock, please visit http://www.itstimetofeelbetter.com/audio/docrock.html.
“DocRock is an amazing talent whose catchy tunes deliver an important message of health and prevention to children,” said Michael Rosenfield, who directs brand management activities for CIGNA. “He stresses prevention in his songs, which mirrors CIGNA's own mission to help people improve their health, well being, and sense of security. Increasing health literacy is vital to improving overall health, so we’re pleased to partner with Dr. Seibel as he works to increase health literacy through music and entertainment.”
“My partnership with CIGNA will help me reach more kids as DocRock and teach them how to avoid becoming sick,” Dr. Seibel said. “Too many people have poor health literacy – they don’t know the things they need to do to be healthy. With this information, they can stay well, and after all, it's better to stay well than to get well."
And there are other benefits too, “The best way to cut the cost of treating sick kids and adults is to help them avoid getting sick in the first place. My songs help people learn, in a fun way, easy steps to help them stay healthy,” Dr. Seibel said.
Dr. Seibel will kick off his new relationship with CIGNA with an appearance October 14 at “A Forum on the Health of Our Children,” presented by the CIGNA Foundation, Temple University and CIGNA's Communities of Health initiative. The event will be held on Temple University’s campus in Philadelphia. For more information on the forum, which is open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, please visit http://newsroom.cigna.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1115.
Some of Dr. Seibel’s songs, which are now featured as downloadable files on itstimetofeelbetter.com, include “Count on Fruit,” “I’ve Got to Sneeze,” and “Your Heart is a Pump.” The songs are short – about one minute each, repetitive and geared toward children. “When you cough, when you sneeze both your hands can spread disease. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands,” DocRock sings in one song.
About CIGNA:
CIGNA (NYSE:CI), global health service company, is dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. CIGNA Corporation's operating subsidiaries provide an integrated suite of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits, as well as group life, accident and disability insurance, to approximately 46 million people throughout the United States and around the world. To learn more about CIGNA visit www.cigna.com.
About Dr. Mache Seibel
Dr. Machelle (Mache) Seibel is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the Complicated Menopause Program at the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Seibel founded HealthRock®, a health edutainment company that teaches health literacy through music and entertainment. He performs under the name DocRock™, offering chicken soup to audiences in the form of health information combined with original catchy songs that contain educational lyrics. For more on Dr. Seibel, visit www.healthrock.com.
