By Key Points
- Stage 4 cancer patient lost $32,000 to a crypto malware scam
- His meme coin CANCER rallied to an $8 million market cap
- Crypto community exposed the scam and got Steam to act
- Now, surplus funds are being donated to cancer patients
In one of the most emotional stories in recent crypto history, a terminally ill Twitch streamer turned his personal battle into a global rallying cry. A simple idea, to launch a cancer meme coin to pay for treatment, exploded into an $8 million movement. And all of it happened because of a scam.
🚨 The $CANCER Hacker Has a Face 🚨
Not a phantom. Not a shadow.
An Argentine living in Miami — visa problems, Steam-based malware, and a trail of stolen wallets.
This is the story of how he pulled off one of the darkest scams in crypto history 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/uN2B0oI03v
— Simba (@Simba_crpt) September 22, 2025
26-year-old rastalandTV, a popular Twitch streamer and stage 4 cancer patient, was desperate to raise funds for his treatment. With limited options, he turned to crypto, launching a meme token called CANCER on the Solana-based platform Pump.fun.
The initial response was hopeful, the project raised around $32,000, giving him a much-needed lifeline.
But tragedy struck soon after.
During a live stream, a scammer donated to his channel and convinced him to play a game called Block Blasters. The game, hosted on Steam, was actually loaded with crypto-draining malware. In a matter of minutes, all the funds rastalandTV had raised, over $32,000, were stolen right from his wallet.
It was a cruel twist in an already heartbreaking situation. Sadly, crypto scams are becoming more common, with even well-intentioned projects falling victim to malicious actors.
Nothing is better then when YouTube and Crypto comes together for $cancer 💖
Fuck cancer I hope this kid gets 1 million dollars pic.twitter.com/B1C0QEin2V
— Ye . (@King_Staccz) September 22, 2025
Crypto Community Pushes Back and Steam Takes Action
What happened next restored faith in the crypto world.
Outraged by the scam, the Cancer Meme Coincommunity jumped into action. Online sleuths quickly identified the hacker, a young man from Argentina living in Miami, and exposed his role in the theft.
As the story gained attention, it triggered a wave of scrutiny on Steam, which was forced to remove Block Blasters and several other crypto-malware games from its platform.
This was more than a scam takedown. It was a moment of collective resistance against the darker corners of crypto and gaming.
CANCER Market Cap. Source: Pump.fun – Techtokens
Meanwhile, the attention pushed rastalandTV’s cancer meme coin into the spotlight. As people flooded Pump.fun with support, the token’s market cap surged to nearly $8 million. It wasn’t just about the money anymore, it was about showing that the crypto space still had heart.
The cancer meme coin, originally meant to help one person, had become a symbol of resilience and unity. These kinds of uplifting moments are a sharp contrast to stories like Aster DEX’s recent XPL glitch refunds, where code errors left users scrambling for compensation.
we have officially donated over 300$ to other cancer patients may they be human or they best friends, and this is only the beggining!
WE ARE GOING TO F $CANCER LIVE ON @pumpdotfun pic.twitter.com/Ix2wMCuJLZ
— rastaland.TV (@rastalandTV) September 24, 2025
From Scam Victim to Crypto Philanthropist
With his treatment now fully funded thanks to the rise of the cancer meme coin, rastalandTV made a surprising announcement: he didn’t need any more money.
Instead of cashing out and disappearing, he began donating the surplus funds to cancer charities and mutual aid efforts. Large donations went to cancer research institutions, and more importantly, to other terminal patients who were also struggling to afford care.
“This isn’t just my story anymore,” he shared on stream. “It’s about everyone who’s fighting the same battle.”
This shift turned the cancer meme coin from a one-time fundraising stunt into a community-driven aid initiative. People began buying and promoting the token not for profit, but to support its cause. Some called it “the first meme coin with a real purpose.”
What’s more, this viral story has sparked a deeper conversation in the crypto world about how decentralized tools like meme coins can be used for social good.
Platforms like Pump.fun, often dismissed as hype machines, are now being seen in a new light, as tools that can empower individuals in crisis when traditional systems fail.
For many, it’s a stark reminder that while newly listed altcoins often come and go without impact, some can leave a lasting mark—especially when driven by genuine human stories.
What the Cancer Meme Coin Teaches the Crypto World
The rise of the cancer meme coin offers several important lessons for both the crypto-curious and seasoned traders.
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Security still matters – No matter how noble your cause, scams are rampant. The malware incident highlights the urgent need for stronger user protections in both crypto and gaming.
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Meme coins aren’t just jokes – While many are created for fun or quick flips, the cancer meme coin shows they can carry real impact when backed by a community and a mission.
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Transparency builds trust – rastalandTV’s public handling of the funds, donations, and updates helped turn a disaster into a redemption arc. In a space often dominated by greed, honesty stood out.
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Communities can create change – From exposing the scammer to pumping the token, everything positive in this story came from people choosing to help. The cancer meme coin became a rallying point for compassion.
The crypto space is full of dramatic twists, just look at the evolving Tether USDT reserve reports or the Cardano 2025 roadmap, both of which could reshape market sentiment. But sometimes, it’s the unexpected human stories that matter most.
The cancer meme coin is a powerful reminder that decentralized finance isn’t just about flipping tokens. It’s about choice, and this time, the community chose empathy over exploitation.
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