Caboolture GP Brungeswara Konda battles brain tumour diagnosis

A popular north Brisbane doctor is grappling with the possibility of not seeing his toddler grow up after a terrifying seizure led to the discovery of a brain tumour.

Dr Brungeswara Konda is battling cancer

A popular north Brisbane general practitioner is grappling with the possibility of not living to see his toddler grow up after a terrifying night-time seizure led to the discovery of a massive brain tumour.

Dr Brungeswara Konda, from Bertha Street Medical Centre in Caboolture, said he did not have life insurance and has reached out to the community to help.

Dr Konda has treated the Caboolture community for more than two years, a job he said had made him feel part of the region.

He moved from India in 2005 to study a postgraduate degree in Australia.

Since then his biggest joy had been treating and meeting a variety of patients each day.

Bertha Street Medical Centre, Caboolture, GP Dr Brungeswara Konda.

“I feel like I belong to this community and enjoy helping at local events, meeting new people and taking my daughter to local playgroups where she learns about plants, parks and animals,’’ he said.

The 42-year-old said he had lived a happy and healthy life before he woke to see paramedics treating him as he lay in a pool of blood on the night of June 21.

“We had celebrated my daughter’s second birthday several days before my seizure, the decorations were still up,” Dr Konda said.

“I had felt tired that night and fell asleep on the couch, but aside from that everything was normal, I was healthy.

He went to sleep but at 3am his wife woke to witness him having a seizure that lasted 30 minutes.

“There was blood all over my pillow from where I had bitten my tongue,” Dr Konda said.

Dr Koda with his wife Harini and daughter Bhavya.

“She called the ambulance and I woke to a paramedic telling me I had suffered a seizure.’’

Upon arrival at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital he was told such seizures were concerning for a man of his age.

“After a CT scan my doctor walked over to me and looked concerned, that was when I knew it must be brain cancer which he was sorry to confirm,” Dr Konda said.

“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I started to think what of what my daughter and wife do without me and if I would live to see her grow up.’’

The scan revealed a 6cm tumour on the right side of his brain, wrapped between major blood vessels.

Two weeks later, he underwent an eight-hour biopsy operation.

“Because of the placement of the tumour it took a very careful eight-hour operation to secure some tissue for testing,’’ he said.

“Risks of the surgery were blindness and paralysis but the doctors and surgeons did a fantastic job and (it) all went well.’’

Tragically, only three days later he was diagnosed with an aggressive stage-two brain tumour, astrocytoma.

Doctors told the family that several treatments including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a new trial drug were available.

The scan revealed a “massive” 6cm tumour on the right side of Dr Konda's brain.

“There is a risk of it changing into a higher and more serious stage of cancer over the next few months,’’ he said.

“I will soon begin treatments and will see a specialist this week.’’

Dr Konda said his main concern was the future wellbeing of his daughter and wife.

“I am the sole breadwinner of the family as my wife does not speak good English or drive,” he said.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page as Mr Konda would be unable to work for the foreseeable future.

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