Polish Livestream Raises $69M for Kids Fighting Cancer

When Piotr Hancke told his followers he'd livestream for one second per TikTok like, he didn't expect to break a world record or raise enough money to change thousands of young lives.

The 23-year-old Polish influencer, known as Latwogang, started streaming from his small Warsaw apartment on April 17. Nine days later, when the camera finally stopped rolling, donations had surged past 250 million zlotys, roughly $69 million, all going to the Cancer Fighters Foundation.

The fundraiser tripled the previous Guinness World Record for livestream donations. Tennis champion Iga Swiatek stopped by, as did soccer star Robert Lewandowski and dozens of musicians and celebrities.

In one powerful segment, celebrities shaved their heads in solidarity with young cancer patients. The moment came after rapper Bedoes recorded a song with a child fighting the disease, sparking the idea for the marathon stream.

At its peak, 1.4 million people watched simultaneously as the chat filled with donation notifications. The stream became appointment viewing across Poland, with families gathering to watch and contribute.

"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," Cancer Fighters Foundation president Marek Kopysc told reporters.

The Ripple Effect

The livestream showed how digital platforms can turn individual creativity into massive collective action. Hancke didn't need a stadium or gala dinner. He needed a webcam, dedication, and followers ready to turn likes into real-world impact.

The $69 million will fund treatment, research, and support services for Polish children battling cancer. For context, that total represents tens of thousands of treatment hours, countless hospital stays, and potentially hundreds of lives saved or extended.

The fundraiser also sparked conversations about youth philanthropy across Poland. Young viewers who donated their pocket money told parents they wanted to help kids like them who were sick.

Nine days without stopping sounds exhausting, and it was. But Hancke stayed online because every hour meant more donations, more awareness, and more hope for families navigating pediatric cancer diagnoses.

The Cancer Fighters Foundation can now expand programs that were previously limited by funding, reaching children in smaller cities and rural areas who need specialized care.

Poland now holds the world record for livestream fundraising, but the real achievement isn't the number or the fame—it's thousands of sick children whose families just got help they desperately needed.