After 5-year-old Mira was diagnosed last year with adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, her dad, Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur Siqi Chen, made a simple plea on social media.

Chen discovered that Todd Hankinson, MD, a pediatric neurosurgeon at the Children’s Hospital Colorado Neurosciences Institute, is an international expert in the field of pediatric craniopharyngioma research, having studied these tumors for more than 15 years. Although Mira isn’t a patient of Dr. Hankinson’s, she is participating in a national clinical trial being led by Dr. Hankinson to discover less invasive treatment options for kids with these tumors.

Craniopharyngioma tumors don’t typically spread to other parts of the body but often injure structures of the brain located near the tumor. Debilitating symptoms, such as impaired vision, stunted growth, memory problems, excessive thirst, and many others, can significantly affect kids’ quality of life.

Chen launched an online fundraising campaign and in just two days, donors contributed more than $230,000 for Dr. Hankinson’s tumor research.

What Happened Next Was a Complete Surprise

An anonymous person heard about Chen’s online fundraiser, created a memecoin called $MIRA, and gave Chen half the supply. Chen donated $1 million from the cryptocurrency on behalf of the $MIRA Community to support Dr. Hankinson’s research in the quest for a cure for Mira. It is the largest donation the lab has ever received, and this philanthropic support will accelerate Dr. Hankinson and his team’s ability to drive their research efforts forward.