The drive, backed by celebrities, got under way in the morning, with fundraising efforts across Poland and a host of other countries with Polish communities, including Britain, the United States and Australia.
The money collected will be used to support healthcare and buy modern medical equipment, according to organizers.
Impresario Jerzy Owsiak, the driving force behind the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity effort. Photo: PAP/Andrzej Lange
This year’s fundraiser is the 31st of its kind. It focuses on helping hospitals buy equipment for early diagnosis of the bacterial infection that causes sepsis.
By 9 p.m. on Sunday, the total collected stood at almost PLN 110 million (around EUR 23.4 million, USD 25.4 million) and the money was expected to continue pouring in, impresario Jerzy Owsiak, the driving force behind the charity effort, told reporters.
Celebrities and sports stars, including football star Robert Lewandowski and tennis players Iga Świątek and Hubert Hurkacz, have pitched in by putting up personal items for a charity auction.
The foundation behind the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity drive says it has raised more than PLN 1.75 billion (EUR 370 million, USD 400 million) in funds for pediatric and elderly healthcare and bought more than 70,400 pieces of medical equipment since the effort was launched in 1992.
This year, for the first time in the fundraiser's history, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity foundation aims to purchase medical equipment for all patients in need, regardless of age, organizers told reporters.
Last year's campaign brought in more than PLN 224 million to help diagnose and treat eye diseases in children, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
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Source: IAR, PAP, TVN24
Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek has this report.
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