There was chemistry, but we broke up.

On October 27, 2025, a photo exhibition of the all-Russian cancer patient support project "There Was Chemotherapy, But We Parted Ways" will open at Skolkovo Technopark. We invite everyone to see for themselves: cancer is not a death sentence! The exhibition will run from October 27 to 30 at Skolkovo Technopark, located at 42 Bolshoy Blvd., Bldg. 1.

The "I Had Chemo, But We Broke Up" project has two goals. The first is to help people who have undergone or are currently undergoing cancer treatment see themselves as beautiful, strong, and resourceful. Often, seeing yourself through the eyes of others is essential to feeling empowered to continue fighting the disease or to return to normal life in remission.

The second goal is to destigmatize cancer and strip it of its main weapon — paralyzing fear, which prevents people from undergoing timely screenings and detecting cancer in its early stages. The subjects of the photo shoots share their experiences and demonstrate that a cancer diagnosis often sounds more frightening than it actually is, and that it is curable.

The "I Had Chemo, But We Broke Up" project is supported by medical experts, patient organizations, volunteer photographers, clothing brands, advertising market players, and the media. This demonstrates that our work is needed by society. However, a recent public survey shows that people lack sufficient knowledge and information about cancer to overcome their fear of the disease and not view the diagnosis as a death sentence.

On the exhibition’s opening day, October 27, a roundtable discussion will be held titled "Results of a Study on the Level of Cancer Phobia in Russian Society. What Are the Indicators and What Can Be Done to Reduce Them?" Experts will present data from a study on cancer phobia in Russia and discuss existing myths about cancer. They will also discuss arguments that can help combat the fear of cancer diagnosis. This will not only help diagnose cancer more often in its early stages but also help patients in remission adapt to normal life. Anyone can participate in the discussion; to participate, please register at https://chemistryresults.events.sk.ru/.

The project’s long-standing partners include the TASHIR Medica Group of Companies, the Unim digital pathomorphological laboratory, the legal Russian bookmaker FONBET, and the MAER media holding.