The drive, backed by celebrities, reached its peak the previous day, 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.
This year’s fundraiser was the 32nd of its kind. It focused on helping hospitals buy equipment to diagnose, monitor, and treat pulmonary diseases among children and adults after the COVID-19 pandemic.
By 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, the total collected had stood at over PLN 175 million (around EUR 40 million, USD 43 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 soccer player Robert Lewandowski and tennis ace Iga Świątek, 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 2 billion (EUR 460 million, USD 500 million) in funds for pediatric and elderly healthcare and bought more than 71,500 pieces of medical equipment since the effort was launched in 1992.
Last year, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity set a fundraising record when it collected more than PLN 243 million (EUR 52 million) for medical equipment to help diagnose and prevent sepsis, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, TVN24, onet.pl
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.