Volunteers arranging cinnamon rolls to form the heart in the Charity Heart 2 Heart fundraiser by Penang Adventist Hospital.
A GIANT heart, made up of 1,405 cinnamon rolls, dominated the atrium of Sunshine Central for a charity drive called Charity Heart 2 Heart by a non-profit hospital.
The feat raised RM116,858 for the Penang Adventist Hospital (PAH) Patient Heart Fund.
The display measured 4.3m by 11.6m, proclaiming the “Sweet Act of Giving”.
Volunteers spent hours arranging the cinnamon rolls by hand – getting on knees, adjusting spacing, aligning lines – until the heart and phrase emerged.
The result attracted shoppers and onlookers, drawing them into a day of health-themed activities that included free heart screenings and CPR demonstrations. There were also wellness booths and even a giant inflatable heart to show how our most vital muscle works.
Adventist Bakery, which has been turning out its signature preservative-free cinnamon rolls for over 40 years, supplied the entire batch.
Once the display was done, no roll went to waste as shoppers could take their share home, with surplus going to charity homes and hospital sponsors.
PAH traces its origins to 1924, when American missionary Dr J. Earl Gardner opened the first Seventh-day Adventist clinic in Lebuh Muntri, Penang.
Over time, it evolved into a full hospital at its present Jalan Burma location.
The hospital remains a non-profit institution dedicated not only to medical care but also to community support and charity.
In 1997, its medical welfare services unit was set up to channel financial aid to needy patients.
Among the funds under its wing is the Patient Heart Fund that provides free or subsidised treatment for patients with heart conditions.
Last year the fund disbursed RM282,769 to eight beneficiaries.
