Mark Briggs now has heart failure and pneumonia as search for diagnosis continues

Devastating blow for family: Beloved dad now has heart failure and pneumonia as search for diagnosis continues

Mark Briggs is in the Rockhampton Hospital but is going to be airlifted in the next couple of days to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for a PET scan.

Critically ill father-of-four Mark Briggs will be airlifted to a Brisbane hospital after taking a turn for the worse over the weekend.

The 55-year-old now has heart failure and pneumonia, adding to a growing list of life-threatening symptoms.

He has been in hospital in Rockhampton and Brisbane for more than six weeks and an exhaustive battery of tests has failed to find a diagnosis.

Wife Sam said Mark would be flown from Rockhampton Hospital to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for a PET scan.

He also has referrals for a rheumatologist and immunologist.

“There’s still no word on whether I can go with him, but he has to go because he’s starting to deteriorate again,” she said on Monday.

“He went for a CT scan this morning, and he’s just gone for an echo now because he has some pneumonia and some heart failure.

“He’s got all this fluid and he’s presenting with chest pain again.

“His troponin levels have come back positive and his BNP levels, which should be under 100, have come back at 700.”

Sam said Mark would likely be transferred in the next two days.

It is a devastating blow for the Briggs family who were buoyed by the incredible response to a fundraiser for Mark held on Friday night.

Hundreds of people turned out to the event at Indoor Sports Arena Rockhampton, helping to raise more than $11,000.

Thirty-eight teams competed in the Thundering 3s beach volleyball competition, with 18 hitting the court in the Fast 5s netball competition.

ISA Rockhampton sports co-ordinator Amanda Hill said team nominations alone had raised $5000 and by the time the auction and multi-draw raffle were finished, the total had topped $11,000.

Amanda was the driving force behind Friday’s fundraiser for Mark, who is a much-loved member of the ISA community.

“We had a massive turnout. It was a really good night,” she said.

“There would have easily been 400 people here, including the players.

“It was bigger than I was expecting.

“I received a video message from Mark and Sammy on Friday so that was a real tearjerker. They were very grateful for the support.”

Members of Mark’s family were there to see the support firsthand.

His youngest daughter Daena played in the netball, while his two older children – Kyle and Jayde – played in the volleyball.

His other son, Liam, could not compete because of injury but was there on the night, as were Mark’s three grandchildren.

Sam left Mark’s bedside at the Rockhampton Hospital to attend as well.

“I walked in and was completely shocked, there were so many people there and the support was overwhelming,” she said.

“It was phenomenal – what they all did was amazing.

“The amount raised was more than anyone could have predicted.”

A mycause site set up for Mark has raised more than $15,000.