Streamer and content creator Benjamin “DrLupo” Lupo joined the streamers who raised ten-digit figures for charity in 2022. Lupo is one of many game content creators using their platform to raise money for charity. As of his most recent Build Against Cancer (BAC), he has raised a total of $13 million for St. Jude Children’s Hospital over the five years he has held the event.
During BAC, Lupo plays various games, such as Minecraft. In 2022, he livestreamed the event for the first time at the St. Jude campus in Memphis, interviewing and gaming multiple guests, including other content creators and St. Jude patients.
Build Against Cancer 2022 has raised over $1 million for the hospital. Lupo told GamesBeat in an interview that this is his most social BAC to date. “The most important thing for me was that so many people were there in person. I’ve gotten used to doing things like Build Against Cancer basically just in my studio. It was shocking – in a good way – to have so many people around, all working to make the event what it was. I couldn’t imagine doing BAC alone again.
While the symbiosis between gamers and charity predates the pandemic, there was a marked uptick in giving during that time. Lupo himself raised $4 million for St. Jude in BAC streams held from 2020 to 2022. The Games Done Quick organization raised $9.3 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation (through Awesome Games Done Quick) and $8.3 million for Doctors Without Borders (through Summer Games Done Quick). Jacksepticeye raised $22 million for various charities through its Thankmas events during that same period.
According to Lupo, gamers can help in other ways besides money: “Spreading the word about what we do for St. Jude through gaming is the most powerful way to support when financial contributions are not possible. Not everyone can donate, which is totally fine. But even Danny Thomas said he’d rather have $1 from a million people than a million dollars from one person. That can only happen if others hear what St. Jude is trying to do.”
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