What started as a modest 500,000 PLN ($118,000 USD) fundraising goal by a 23-year-old Polish streamer has shattered records, expectations, and the internet itself. In just nine days, a single YouTube livestream united an entire nation, raising a staggering 251 million PLN (over $60 million USD) for the Cancer Fighters Foundation.
The Spark That Ignited a Nation
Patryk “Łatwogang” Garkowski didn’t rent a stadium or hire a massive production crew. He set up a camera in a small Warsaw apartment and started broadcasting. His mission was simple: raise money for children and adults battling cancer through the Cancer Fighters Foundation, a Polish charity providing medical, psychological, and financial assistance to patients.
The emotional core of the stream was a single song played on an endless loop: “Diss na Raka” (Diss on Cancer). The track was recorded by famous Polish rapper Bedoes alongside an 11-year-old cancer patient named Maja. Her story became the heartbeat of the campaign.
Celebrities, Corporations, and Millions of Hearts
As the hours turned into days, the livestream snowballed into a cultural phenomenon. It wasn’t just gamers and teenagers watching; it was everyone.
- Sports Icons: Football superstar Robert Lewandowski and his wife Anna donated 1 million PLN. Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny brought in teenage Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal for a viral support video. Tennis world No. 1 Iga Świątek donated 100,000 PLN and auctioned off Wimbledon tickets.
- Corporate Giants: Major Polish brands stepped up, with one anonymous sponsor dropping a jaw-dropping 5 million PLN donation.
- International Stars: Even Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin made a cameo via a pre-recorded video, singing a passage in Polish while playing the piano.
The stream became a wild, unpredictable mix of viral entertainment and deep emotion. Celebrities shaved their heads live on air in solidarity with cancer patients. Long-running feuds between famous Polish rappers were publicly resolved. And through it all, children fighting cancer visited the apartment, speaking directly with the streamers and answering questions from viewers.
Shattering the Guinness World Record
By the time the stream approached its final hours, it had become the most-watched live broadcast globally. At its peak, over 1.45 million people were watching simultaneously.
A laptop screen showing the YouTube livestream with the Cancer Fighters logo and a massive donation counter
The hosts chose a deeply symbolic time to end the broadcast: 21:37 (9:37 PM), a number widely recognized in Polish culture as the time of death of Pope John Paul II. As the clock struck 21:37 on Sunday, April 26, 2026, the counter surged past the 250 million PLN mark.
In doing so, Łatwogang officially shattered the Guinness World Record for the largest amount raised in a single livestream fundraiser—a record previously held by American YouTube giant MrBeast.
A Testament to Polish Solidarity
“There is no hidden agenda. All the money goes to the kids,” Garkowski stated during the broadcast. And he meant it. Zero commission was deducted; every single zloty is going directly to the Cancer Fighters Foundation.
This 9-day event was more than just a fundraiser. It was a stunning display of what happens when a country unites behind a single, pure cause. From a small apartment in Warsaw, a 23-year-old proved that when it truly matters, Poland shows up.
If you were moved by this story, share it so the world knows what happened in Poland this week. You can still support the cause at cancerfighters.pl.
