Father’s Diagnosis Spurs Anita Permata Sari’s Prostate Cancer Advocacy

By V. Sankara

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- Popular television host and actress Anita Permata Sari is actively working to be an advocate for prostate cancer, following her father’s diagnosis with Stage Four prostate cancer in May.

She is currently working with Rotary Club Diraja Kuala Lumpur to raise awareness of prostate cancer, the importance of detecting it early and men’s health.

The actress, who starred in ‘Bukan Hantu Biashe Biashe’ (2023) and ‘Misteri Fraser’ (2025), said that as an only child, she is the primary caregiver for her father Mahendran Nayagam.

She said her 75-year-old father’s tiredness, body aches and frequent night-time urination were initially dismissed as normal signs of ageing. However, concern grew when he began losing weight rapidly over a short period – his weight dropped sharply to 43 kilogrammes in May from 58 kg five months earlier.

“When I touched his lower abdomen, I felt two hard lumps near the pelvic area. I knew it was not normal,” recalled Anita, who recently completed several Malay telemovie shoots for RTM, with more projects scheduled for broadcast and cinema release next year.

She immediately brought him to a private hospital, where further examinations, including CT scans and a biopsy, later confirmed advanced prostate cancer, believed to have been developing silently for more than five years.

pic-2

The diagnosis was emotionally devastating, Anita said, adding that she struggled to understand how the disease had progressed without being detected earlier.

Initially, she was hesitant to speak publicly about the experience, describing it as deeply personal and saying she did not want to expose her father during his most vulnerable moments.

She then began documenting his condition privately while researching ways to support his recovery, including using artificial intelligence as a tool to better understand the disease and get more information on available treatment and lifestyle options.

“As I started noticing small improvements (in my father), it gave me confidence. I thought if this could help my dad, maybe it could help someone else too,” she said.

That realisation led her to share their journey more openly, in the hope that other families would not delay medical checks or overlook early warning signs.

Anita said stigma and fear remain major reasons many men avoid screenings, noting that prostate cancer is often described as a “silent disease” because symptoms usually only appear at later stages.

pic-3

“Early detection doesn’t make you less of a man. It protects your role as a father, a husband and a provider,” she said, urging families to encourage loved ones to undergo simple prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests.

At the time of diagnosis, her father’s PSA level was an extremely high 818. After consultations with his urologist, the family opted for hormonal therapy instead of chemotherapy due to his age.

Within months, his PSA level dropped significantly and currently stands at 1.9, a development Anita said gave the family renewed hope.

Alongside medical treatment, she introduced lifestyle and nutritional adjustments, including eliminating refined sugar, reducing unhealthy carbohydrates, increasing protein and vegetable intake, incorporating cooked tomatoes rich in lycopene, ensuring appropriate supplements and encouraging gentle daily exercise.

“It wasn’t easy or perfect, but every small change felt like a step towards giving my father better comfort, strength and more time,” she said.

As a public figure, Anita hopes her advocacy will help normalise conversations about men’s health, particularly silent diseases such as prostate cancer.

“I speak not just as a public figure, but as a daughter who cares. Awareness is not just information, it is love, time and a chance to keep our fathers with us longer,” she said.

-- BERNAMA