In a historic display of grassroots philanthropy and digital community power, a 23-year-old Polish YouTube creator has pulled off one of the most successful charity fundraising events in modern livestream history, drawing global celebrity support and smashing previous world records to raise more than £52 million (roughly $65 million) for a Polish children’s cancer organization.
Piotr Hancke, who goes by the online alias Latwogang and boasts millions of followers across his social media platforms, hosted the non-stop 9-day broadcast from a small apartment in the Polish capital of Warsaw, running from April 17 through Sunday’s close. To keep the stream anchored throughout its 216-hour run, Hancke repeatedly played a custom charity rap track created specifically for the effort—written as a diss track aimed directly at cancer, featuring guest vocals from a young patient currently undergoing treatment for the disease.
The event captured widespread attention not just from Hancke’s loyal fanbase, but also from A-list entertainers and top global sports stars who rallied to support the cause. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin made a surprise virtual appearance, performing an original short snippet for the audience and joking about his imperfect attempt at speaking Polish. Football megastars also turned out in force: Former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny shared a promotional video featuring rising Spanish football prodigy Lamine Yamal backing the appeal, while Barcelona star striker Robert Lewandowski posted a viral TikTok of himself dancing to the charity track, later writing on Instagram that he was “proud to be Polish” for the outpouring of support. Polish rapper Bedoes 2115, who created the looping charity track, also joined the effort, alongside dozens of other Polish influencers and public figures.
Many participating guests shaved their heads in a show of solidarity with chemotherapy patients, a gesture Hancke also joined to honor children undergoing cancer treatment. At the peak of viewership, state-run Polish news agency PAP reports that more than 1.4 million people tuned into the livestream simultaneously, highlighting the massive reach of the digital campaign.
The final fundraising total, posted to the Cancer Fighters Foundation (CFF), the Polish charity benefiting from the drive, came in at just over £52 million—well over the initial £50 million reported as the event wrapped, and more than three times the previous Guinness World Record for livestream charity fundraising. The prior record, set by a group of French streamers in 2025, stood at €16.1 million (£14 million) raised for multiple charitable causes.
In the wake of the historic fundraiser, CFF has launched a dedicated public transparency website, pledging to publish full, itemized accounts of every pound raised to ensure every donor can see how their contributions translate to tangible support for young patients. CFF president Marek Kopysc emphasized the stakes of the work the funds will support, saying the organization is “reaching for the stars” to help “innocent children who fight the hardest battles every day.”