A regional center for non-medical support for people with cancer and their loved ones opened in Nizhny Novgorod on August 4, 2026.[1] The organizer was the Onkologika charitable foundation, with support from the Presidential Grants Fund.[3] All services provided by the center are free of charge and complement the compulsory medical insurance system, covering the everyday and logistical needs of patients that fall outside standard medical care.[1]

Background

Nizhny Novgorod Region Russian regions where, after Moscow and the Moscow Region, the highest number of requests for non-medical cancer support are recorded. Alongside Nizhny Novgorod, similar centers simultaneously opened in Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, and Samara.[1] According to data from the National Medical Research Center of Radiology of the Russian Ministry of Health, in 2025 more than 118,000 new cancer cases were first diagnosed across these six regions; in Nizhny Novgorod Region alone, around 20,000 new cases were registered that same year.[3]

Services

Patients and their relatives have access to consultations with psychologists and lawyers, assistance with applying for social support measures, and help obtaining a second medical opinion.[2] Specialists help arrange transport to treatment facilities, accommodation, payment for tests, and specialized nutrition.[1]

A dedicated area of the center's work involves meetings with "oncomates" — people who have themselves undergone cancer treatment. Patients can also take part in group psychotherapy and educational programs. According to the foundation's assessment, personal communication and socialization help reduce the sense of isolation that often accompanies a diagnosis and ease the psychological burden on families.[1][2]

Sources

  1. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — Nizhny Novgorod residents with cancer to receive free non-medical support (archive)
  2. Newsroom24 — Cancer patient support center opens in Nizhny Novgorod
  3. Vremya N — Free non-medical assistance available to Nizhny Novgorod cancer patients
  4. GTRK "Nizhny Novgorod" (Vesti) — Free non-medical assistance begins for cancer patients in Nizhny Novgorod