At an Estée Lauder breast cancer awareness evening in Singapore, held on a sultry October night, the singer and actress Joi Chua spoke plainly about her family. Her mother and an aunt had both died of breast cancer, she said, and the cause was personal to her.
The room was full of pink. Chua arrived in a blush-toned Max Mara jumpsuit and answered a guest’s fumbled condolences with a reassuring smile, as if to say she had it under control.
The moment the story turns personal
Chua explained that her mother was diagnosed when she was 15 and died when she was 19. She also said that two of her paternal aunts developed the disease. One was diagnosed when Chua was very young. The other became a cancer survivor.
The history shaped how she talks about health. She presented herself as healthy and determined to stay that way, and she treated her family record as a reason to be careful, not frightened.
Early detection, and checking at home
Her main advice was practical. Medical screening can save lives, she said, but women should also examine themselves at home and be diligent about it. She added that regular check-ups with a doctor you trust matter most for people with a strong family history, as she has.
That fits the message of the campaign she was there to support. Evelyn H. Lauder co-created the Pink Ribbon and founded The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign in 1992. The company says it and its charitable foundation have since funded more than US$182 million for research, education and medical services.
Stress, me-time and knowing when to stop
Chua also linked wellbeing to mood. She said she felt that, at some level, cancer is connected to stress. Her own way of letting off steam was to protect her me-time, whether that meant a facial or a small gathering of close friends.
Her advice to busy working women was to recognise when responsibilities become too heavy. She said that is the time to put everything down and simply breathe.
Her view is a personal one and is not medical proof. Breast Cancer Action, a US advocacy group, has criticised the idea that positive thinking can prevent breast cancer. What her family history does support is her case for regular screening and a doctor who knows you.
A lighter note on beauty
The conversation ended on beauty. Chua said her secret was eyelid tape. Her eyelids tend to be uneven, which she described with the Mandarin phrase bu ting hua, meaning disobedient, so she uses tape to make them look more alike.
She said she is happy to go out with little makeup. The exception is a day when she wakes up looking, in her words, as if a lorry had run over her. On those days she puts makeup on.
The campaign today
The Pink Ribbon drive continues each October. In 2026, Estée Lauder Malaysia is marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a Pink Charity Run on 18 October at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur. It is also selling a limited Pink Ribbon edition of its Advanced Night Repair Serum in a 50ml size. The company says 100 per cent of the proceeds go to Cancer Research Malaysia and the Breast Cancer Welfare Association Malaysia, as reported by Business Today Malaysia.