Dr Alice Prethima’s Lifelong Healing Legacy

By V. Sankara

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- For Prof Datuk Dr Alice Prethima Michael, medicine has never been just a profession. It is a calling — a lifelong commitment to healing others with compassion, courage and care.

For more than three decades, she has inspired thousands of Malaysian women to embrace wellness not only as a medical pursuit but as a way of living with balance, confidence and grace.

Her remarkable journey is now celebrated in a new biography titled Safe in Her Hands: Medicine, Motherhood and Meaning, written by David Goh and published by Goh Chai Whatt.

“This book is not just a story, but an inspiration and an idea that shaped my life 25 to 30 years ago. What I have written is about how to be relentless, strong and positive — to look only for the good steps and keep climbing, even when there are negative things around you,” Dr Alice said.

She was speaking to Bernama after the book launch at Kenny Hills Bistro @ Four Seasons Shoppes here on Nov 1, attended by more than 40 guests. Also present was her husband, Michael Prabhakar.

The 164-page book, divided into seven chapters, traces her life from a determined young student to one of Malaysia’s leading voices in holistic health and regenerative medicine, offering readers a personal and inspiring glimpse into the heart of a doctor who believes that true healing begins from within.

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Born in Tirunelveli, India, and raised in Klang, Malaysia, Dr Alice showed remarkable determination from an early age, completing secondary school at only 13.

The second of five siblings and the only daughter in her family, she grew up with a strong sense of independence and purpose that would later shape her outlook on medicine and life.

Her upbringing was comfortable, yet she often described herself as “a bird in a gilded cage” — safe, but longing for freedom and meaning. Guided by curiosity and conviction, she entered medicine with a vision to go beyond conventional practice.

“The one who dares to ask becomes the one who leads,” she says — a reflection of her belief that questioning norms opens the path to progress.

Throughout her career, Dr Alice has sought to merge science with humanity. While many viewed aesthetic medicine as purely cosmetic, she redefined it as part of holistic wellness — a means to restore self-esteem, vitality and emotional balance.

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Her approach led to the founding of the Dr Alice Holistic Wellness Centre in Kuala Lumpur, a pioneering institution combining aesthetic medicine, regenerative therapy, hormone balance and preventive health.

Safe in Her Hands is written in an accessible and reflective style, blending personal insight with professional wisdom. Each chapter reveals a part of her journey — as a doctor, mentor, mother and leader — while encouraging readers to reflect on their own definition of success.

The book introduces her idea of “progressive success”, the belief that growth is not measured by speed or achievement, but by staying aligned with one’s values.

Beyond her clinic, Dr Alice is a familiar figure to many Malaysians through her appearances on Bernama Today, Selamat Pagi Malaysia, Nona and Wanita Hari Ini. Her calm and thoughtful presence has made her a trusted voice on women’s wellness, ageing gracefully and living with intention.

Dr Alice’s credentials further reflect her dedication. She holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Madurai Kamaraj University in India, a professorship in regenerative health with the Oxford Academic Union and serves as Southeast Asia faculty instructor with the European College of Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery (ECAMS). She is also a member of both the American Board of Laser Surgery and the Royal College of Physicians (Ireland).

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At 65, the mother of two sons, Nikhil and Abhishek Michael, continues to inspire young doctors across the region. Over the years, she has mentored many who now lead their own practices. To her, sharing knowledge remains an essential part of the healing profession.

“If knowledge doesn’t flow forward, it stagnates,” she says. “The next generation must not only inherit our skills but also our sense of service.”

Safe in Her Hands: Medicine, Motherhood and Meaning is available in hardcover (RM85) and softcover (RM50), and can be ordered online via https://forms.gle/Rs1mYydthzbwzWop8

A portion of the proceeds from Safe in Her Hands will go towards supporting women’s wellness and regenerative health initiatives in Malaysia, continuing her mission to empower others through care and education.

-- BERNAMA