Cancer remains one of the world’s biggest killers. Accounting for nearly 1 in 6 deaths worldwide. But while many cancers can now be cured, the cost of treatment can be astronomical. Especially when it comes to rare cancers. Typically, a huge amount of funds is needed in a very short time (for example, 250,000 Euros in one month) which is too expensive for most patients in Eastern Europe. We looked to see if there was a way to effectively and repeatably collect such vast amounts of money.

Buy My Cancer is an innovative funding model designed to help cover the costly treatment of rare cancers. Turning real patients’ living cancer cells into beautiful and powerful pieces of art, which are then auctioned. All funds raised go to life-saving treatment for these patients, and further research into rare cancer treatments.

The project was designed to give equal opportunities in the possibility of cancer treatment as some cancers, are very expensive to treat. "Buy My Cancer" created a means to fight cancer using the cancer itself.

The strategy was to fight cancer using the cancer itself.

Data was gathered using real patient’s living cancer cells which are then photographed using a confocal microscope – creating high resolution three-dimensional images.

The images of tumors were recorded among patients of the National Oncology Institute of Maria Sklodowska-Curie and National Research Institute (branch in Gliwice, Poland) which is a leader in oncology on a national and European scale. Its state-of-the-art equipment and highly qualified staff make it possible to record very detailed images of cancer cells.

To generate the funds, we targeted the message to very specific audiences: serious art collectors and tech-savvy disposable income earners looking to invest in NFTs with an actual purpose.

A real patient’s living cancer cells are photographed using a confocal microscope – creating high resolution three-dimensional images. These beautiful and powerful images are then transformed into pieces of art, minted into NFT collections, put up for auction, and advertised to collectors through social media and PR. Once the collection has been sold, and the proceeds have gone on to fund the patient’s life-saving cancer treatment, the process begins again with a new patient.

And so on and so on, continually saving lives with each new and unique NFT collection.

These NFT collections are put up for auction at the largest NFT galleries (OpenSea, VAST) and advertised through social media, events and PR. All the project communication is based on the use of images of living cancer cells from real patients who are currently fighting these cancers.

To generate the funds, we targeted our message directly to very specific audiences: serious art collectors and tech-savvy disposable income earners looking to invest in NFTs with an actual purpose.

The first cancer images came from Jacob – who suffers from a rare and resistant form of aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Just weeks after Buy My Cancer launched, first NFT collection sold out, and Jacob successfully collected 102% of the amount that was needed to start CAR-T treatment (EUR 250 000). Effectively saving his life.

Project was discussed by members of the EU Parliament and top Oncologists at the 8th International Oncology Forum in Brussels, organized by The Economist. It was named a “new hope” for funding cancer treatment globally.

The brand behind the project is an oncology foundation, which has been mobilizing the society for help and solidarity with patients for 12 years. Buy My Cancer launched on 1st June 2022. The project is still ongoing.

The first cancer images came from Jakub – who suffers from a rare and resistant form of aggressive B-cell lymphoma. Just weeks after Buy My Cancer launched, first NFT collection sold out, and Jakub successfully collected 102% of the amount that was needed to start CAR-T treatment (EUR 250 000). Effectively saving his life.

Forbes wrote that Buy My Cancer brings purpose to the NFT format. Before the project existed, there were also no laws covering fundraising using NFTs. Our lawyers created a proposition that was submitted and approved by the Polish Ministry of Finance. We shared this legal proposition on GitHub to help facilitate the creation of the future NFT and crypto fundraising projects.

Project was discussed by members of the EU Parliament and top Oncologists at the 8th International Oncology Forum in Brussels, organized by The Economist. It was named a “new hope” for funding cancer treatment globally.