Dad Raises $14M with Meme Coin for Daughter's Brain Tumor Research

Siqi Chen’s remarkable story highlights how meme coins can be harnessed for good. His campaign has raised $14 million for brain tumor research, proving that these digital assets can go beyond profit to create real social impact.

Siqi, the founder of Runway, faced a heartbreaking challenge when his 4-year-old daughter, Mira, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called craniopharyngioma in September 2024. Although benign, the tumor was located in a critical part of her brain. Thankfully, after surgery, Mira’s health improved. Instead of raising funds for his family, Siqi asked supporters to donate to children’s brain tumor research. Unexpectedly, an X user named Waddles created a meme coin called MIRA on Solana to support this cause, sending half its supply to Siqi.

Waddles shared that the idea was to rally the Solana community behind a meaningful cause. Siqi pledged to donate 100% of the proceeds from MIRA to research. He sold 1% of his holdings daily and posted sale updates online. Instead of declining, MIRA’s price soared, supported by a community inspired by its purpose. Siqi was amazed as the token's value surpassed $14 million.

The story quickly spread, with MIRA’s market cap exceeding $80 million and trading volumes surpassing $100 million, according to GeckoTerminal. The higher MIRA’s value climbed, the more funding Siqi could channel toward rare disease research. He reminded everyone that every dollar gained directly supported research, as he wasn’t keeping any for himself.

Despite the success, fake tokens featuring images of Siqi and his family appeared on Pump.fun, highlighting challenges in the crypto space. However, MIRA’s rise supports Vitalik Buterin’s belief that meme coins can have meaningful societal contributions.

This inspiring journey demonstrates that meme coins, like MIRA, can create community-driven philanthropy, proving they have the potential to make a real difference.