How Brands Honored People in Exhibit Designs at ASCO 2026

From precision medicine to cell therapy and advanced diagnostics, oncology is rapidly evolving, improving patient outcomes and bringing hope. At the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2026 Annual Meeting, which took place at McCormick Place in Chicago May 29 through June 2, science was paramount but another narrative was just as important—celebrating patients, clinicians and researchers.

Sometimes heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking, these activations reminded attendees of the incredible courage, compassion and will to live that it takes to fight cancer. Here’s how brands told those stories with care and impact via patient-centered exhibits.

 

Bayer

Instead of leading with therapies first, Bayer invited attendees to a “What Moves You” tribute installation in partnership with Cancer Nation. Anyone could add a glass wind chime and a message with a name of a person who moved them when it comes to dealing with cancer. The small glass jars, the names, and the sound, created a tunnel that took some courage to step into. This was pure, in-person emotion.

 

Astellas

The Astellas’ booth was built around the concept of “patient centricity”, with interactives featuring insights from patients who need access to specific research in a way that makes sense to them. Transparent LEDs paired with touchscreens created a sense of presence in an experience and felt informative and grounding. The fact that these interactives formed the heart of the exhibit spoke volumes about the company’s philosophy.

 

Daiichi Sankyo

At the “Purpose in Motion” activation, attendees could add their name and watch it turn into a leaf as it floated onto a watercolor-like landscape and made ripples in the center, under the tag line “My work advances discoveries, uncovering new possibilities for patients.” They could also honor someone by adding their name. Placed under a cherry tree and washed with pink lighting, this was a beautiful space of purpose and hope that extended beyond the exhibit.

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Lilly

Art can help people express experiences that are too difficult for words, was the message behind the “Power of Creative Expression” activation from the Oncology on Canvas collection showcased at the Lilly booth. Attendees could enjoy the pieces on large screens as well as scan a QR code to see patient-submitted art and read their stories.

 

Eisai

At Eisai’s exhibit, attendees could learn about various organizations that support people living with cancer in the “Starlight Garden” and could make an immediate impact by adding a star to a glowing installation. Each star became a message of support directly to someone affected by cancer through the company’s partnership with the Magnolia Meals at Home program. More than 2,500 meals were expected to be delivered.

 

Labcorp

Celebrating the scientific and medical community that makes the fight against cancer possible, Labcorp invited attendees to participate in a digital portrait mosaic, where they could pick an archetype of how they show up on their journey, ranging from a superhero to a rockstar to a wizard, as well as a doctor and a scientist. AI then transformed their headshot and added it to the collective portrait, which served as the exhibit’s main focal point. Attendees got a physical picture as a keepsake.

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