Millions Raised for Rare Cancer Research by Memecoin Community After Father’s Emotional Appeal.
Crypto Community Rallies Behind Memecoin to Raise Millions for Rare Cancer Research
In an unexpected twist, a charity-themed memecoin surged to nearly $100 million in trading volume, transforming a speculative frenzy into a powerful fundraising campaign. While many traders faced losses, the initiative ultimately succeeded in raising over $1 million for vital cancer research.
The story began when Siqi Chen, founder of the financial planning app Runway, took to social media platform X to share his daughter Mira’s heartbreaking diagnosis with a rare brain tumor. Chen highlighted the scarcity of funding for research into such conditions and launched a GoFundMe campaign with a $300,000 target to support research at the Hankinson Lab at the University of Colorado.
Responding to community requests, Chen shared his Ethereum wallet address, later adding Solana and Bitcoin addresses to accommodate additional contributions. But the real momentum came from an unexpected source: Pump.Fun.
Pump.Fun, a platform that allows users to create tokens for under $2, became the catalyst for the MIRA token’s meteoric rise. A user created the MIRA token, pairing it with an image of Chen and his daughter. Initially, the token seemed like just another speculative memecoin, but it quickly gained traction when X user @Waddles_eth bought 50% of the supply and gifted it entirely to Chen.
The move triggered a viral explosion. Chen amplified the token’s story on X, and MIRA’s price skyrocketed from fractions of a cent to a peak of $0.08. Chen’s holdings ballooned from $400,000 to over $18 million, while trading volumes surged to over $85 million across more than 130,000 transactions.
“This has been the most surreal experience of my life,” Chen wrote on X. He committed to liquidating $1,000 worth of MIRA every 10 minutes indefinitely, promising to announce any changes in advance.
Despite MIRA’s price falling by 80% from its peak, the campaign achieved its core objective. “We aimed to raise $200K, and we will now contribute at least $1M towards critical research,” Chen shared.
The crypto community’s response has been overwhelmingly supportive. “Memecoins are often dismissed, but this shows their potential for meaningful impact,” wrote user @mbaril010. “This is why crypto exists – to enable seamless movement of value.”
Meanwhile, @Waddles_eth expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “I hoped the Solana community would unite for a good cause, and I’m thrilled it worked out. I hope these funds make a real difference in Mira’s fight and for others facing similar conditions.”
The MIRA token’s journey highlights the untapped potential of memecoins to drive positive social change. As the new year approaches, this story might mark the beginning of a larger movement: leveraging the power of crypto for good.
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