KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran comedian Sathia, or Sathivel Periasamy, 60, recently opened up about his health struggles following a mild stroke he suffered on July 16.
The stroke has affected the right side of his body, making daily tasks challenging.
"I used to feed my wife, but now she feeds me because my right hand can no longer lift food to my mouth.
"If I try, my hand shakes, and the food spills," he told Harian Metro.
Sathia has been undergoing acupuncture treatments at a centre in Ampang for the past month to aid his recovery.
Each session costs RM60, and he attends three times a week.
"The treatment lasts an hour, and I think it's manageable. I need to continue regularly if I want to get better," he said.
Despite his condition, Sathia remains grateful that the stroke did not affect his ability to speak.
"My mouth wasn't affected, which is a blessing because my career relies on talking.
"Even now, I'm still shooting dramas. I have acting schedules for January and February next year, where I'll mostly sit and talk," he said.
Sathia recently received a visit from Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching as part of the Ziarah Seni Madani programme, which supports needy artistes.
The visit, held at his residence, also included representatives from the National Film Development Corporation (Finas), including its chairman Datuk Kamil Othman, and CEO Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib. Sathia was presented with cash donations and food baskets during the visit.
Expressing his gratitude, Sathia said, "It's not easy for a Minister to visit someone like me. I used to help others, and now people are helping me."
"I will use this assistance for medical expenses, which cost me about RM1,000 a month."
Sathia, who has two children and three grandchildren, also reflected on the meaningful timing of the visit, as it coincided with his birthday on Dec 24.
"The visit felt like a wonderful birthday gift," he added.
Teo remarked that the initiative aimed to provide moral and financial support to artistes.
"We were glad to visit Sathia on his birthday and wish him a speedy recovery," she said.