By PHUBIEYAS AHMAD
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 2 – A jar of peanut butter may seem an unlikely starting point for a conversation about cancer. But JOBBIE and Lotus’s Malaysia are using an everyday purchase to connect consumers with MAKNA’s work and encourage families to talk more openly about breast health.
Their Pink Wobbly Breast Odyssey campaign brings together a Malaysian homegrown peanut butter brand, a nationwide retailer and Majlis Kanser Nasional (MAKNA), giving shoppers a simple way to contribute to cancer patient assistance.
The purpose extends beyond fundraising. By placing breast health information on supermarket shelves and in household kitchens, the partners hope to make a sensitive subject easier to discuss and encourage greater understanding of the people and families affected by cancer.
For JOBBIE chief executive officer Victor Chin, that connection is personal.
Speaking at the campaign’s launch at IOI City Mall today, Chin recalled that his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was about 10 years old. At that age, he did not fully understand the disease, but remembered the fear surrounding her illness.
His mother survived. Decades later, she continues to attend regular check-ups, while the fear of recurrence remains part of the family’s experience, he said.
That experience helps explain why JOBBIE wants the conversation to reach people where they live, rather than remain confined to healthcare settings.
The campaign’s limited-edition jars feature illustrated breasts alongside information on common signs and symptoms associated with breast cancer. Placed in kitchens, pantries or on dining tables, they are intended to prompt conversations among family members.
“The key thing is about reaching 20,000 families,” Chin said.
He also called on men to support the women in their lives, recognising that embarrassment can make these conversations difficult.
“For the men, the sons, the brothers, the partners, don’t let the awkwardness keep you from looking out for the woman that you love,” he said.
Turning Everyday Purchases Into Support
Running from Oct 1 to Dec 31, the campaign features 20,000 limited-edition jars, four times the 5,000 introduced during JOBBIE’s first collaboration with MAKNA in 2024.
RM1 from every campaign jar purchased will go to MAKNA, with an expected contribution of RM20,000.
For consumers, this creates a practical route to participation: an everyday purchase can contribute to assistance for someone facing cancer.
MAKNA head of division Nisha Sanita said the funds would support cancer patients in need, particularly those with limited financial means.
“Behind every contribution is a person, a family, and a journey that deserves support,” she said.
Her message places the emphasis on the people behind the fundraising target – patients managing illness and families facing its emotional and financial pressures.
Lotus’s provides the retail reach that connects this effort with shoppers. According to Chin, the campaign will be available through 71 outlets nationwide.
Lotus’s Malaysia corporate services director Azliza Baizura Azmel said the retailer’s daily engagement with communities gave it an opportunity to make important health conversations more accessible.
“Through this campaign, we hope to encourage greater awareness of breast health while giving our customers a simple way to support MAKNA and stand in solidarity with individuals and families affected by cancer,” she said in a statement.
The Importance Of Being Present
The launch also highlighted a form of support that cannot be measured through sales or donations alone: being present for a loved one.
Content creator Chin Pui Ting, known as Dead Pudds, shared an emotional account of her mother’s cancer diagnosis and how it changed their relationship.
She described becoming more affectionate and involved in her mother’s care, while providing financial support to ease the pressures she faced.
Content creator Chin Pui Ting
Her account brought a family perspective to the campaign, showing how a diagnosis can reshape relationships and deepen the need for understanding, reassurance and practical help.
“There’s always been a lot of fear surrounding cancer, but I think it is time that we stop letting fear dictate our health,” she said.
Supported by IOI City Mall as venue sponsor, the launch also brings MAKNA’s work directly to the public. Its Awareness Truck offers interactive augmented and virtual reality experiences, alongside free breast health consultations and risk assessments at a dedicated canopy from Oct 2 to 4.
The partnership gives each participant a role: JOBBIE carries the message through its packaging, Lotus’s brings it to shoppers, MAKNA provides expertise and patient assistance, and consumers contribute through purchases and conversations.
Its wider ambition is to turn that initial encounter into greater compassion and involvement — helping families discuss breast health, seek help and support loved ones through their cancer journey.
- TNS NEWS