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A marathon nine-day charity livestream, broadcast from a small flat in Warsaw, has shattered fundraising records, collecting an astonishing £52 million (250 million zlotys) for children battling cancer. Local media reported the unprecedented sum on Monday.
Organised by influencer Piotr Hancke, better known as Latwogang, the non-stop stream garnered widespread support from musicians, celebrities, and sports stars, including six-time Grand Slam tennis champion Iga Swiatek and Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski.
The money raised, more than three times the previous record for a livestream fundraiser, went to the Cancer Fighters Foundation. A previous best, recorded by Guinness World Records, was $19.5 million (£14.5 million) for an event in France last year.
Marek Kopysc, president of the Cancer Fighters Foundation, told private broadcaster RMF FM: “We’re reaching for the stars, reaching for space, to help those who need it most, the innocent children who fight the hardest battles every day.”
The livestream was supported by some famous faces including tennis superstar Iga Swiatek (Reuters)
Several celebrities also shaved their heads in support of cancer patients during one segment of the livestream.
The livestream began on YouTube on 17 April and concluded at 9:37pm local time on Sunday.
At its peak, the broadcast was simultaneously viewed by 1.4 million people, state news agency PAP reported, setting new records for viewer engagement.
The stream followed a song recorded by rapper Bedoes with a young cancer patient.
Latwogang told his followers he would launch a non-stop charity stream with one second for every ‘like’ on TikTok for the idea, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.