On 30 May, a photo exhibition dedicated to the lives of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease of the central nervous system that often remains invisible to society, will open in Kyiv. The event is being organised by the Alexey Sereda charity organisation 99 PROBLEMS in cooperation with the Multiple Sclerosis Department of the Nephrology and Haemodialysis Centre.
Read also: Seeking a Savior: Melania’s Search for a Donor
The aim of the exhibition is to make visible the symptoms and challenges faced by MS patients in Ukraine. Through photographs, personal stories of patients and an open dialogue with specialists, the organisers aim to show that MS is not a sentence, but a diagnosis that can be lived with dignity.
The photographs feature the participants of the photo project, including the author, Anastasia Trikhbratska. They share their own experience of living with MS, the struggle for access to treatment, the challenges brought by the war, and the importance of support from society and the state.
The event also aims to raise awareness of the first signs of the disease, the need for early diagnosis and access to disease-modifying therapy (DMT). The uniqueness of the exhibition lies in its venue: the new Multiple Sclerosis Centre at the Nephrology and Haemodialysis Centre, which since December 2024 has the first equipment in Ukraine for analysing cerebrospinal fluid for oligoclonal bands. This allows for early diagnosis of MS. The centre also provides treatment to patients from all over Ukraine at the expense of government programmes, regardless of their place of registration.
The event will take place on 30 May at 10:00 a.m. at 16 Illyenko Street (Lukianivka). Doctors, journalists, patients and everyone who wants to learn more about living with MS in Ukraine are invited to participate.
Read also: Patients of Ukraine: Thousands at Risk of Losing Essential Medications
