Volunteer Spotlight: Dr. Brahma Konda

Dr. Brahman Konda at the Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center in Nepal (third-person from the left)

Dr. Brahma Konda, a semi-retired hematologist-oncologist, got involved with the foundation a few years ago, when he and Dr. Binay Shah, the co-founder and president of Binaytara Foundation (BTF), used to work together in Bellingham, WA. He traveled to Nepal in January 2020 to volunteer at the Binaytara Foundation Cancer Center in Janakpur.

“I see a lot of value in teaching. I believe that is most important for me at this time of my career. I can only see 10 patients in a day, but as a teacher, I can help 10 postgraduate students who see 100 a day,” Dr. Konda explains. “I want to import the ethical values, moral values, and the compassion about taking care of people.”

After hearing about BTF’s work in Nepal, he decided to travel there to teach and give lectures on hematological malignancies to 7–8 doctors, as well as treat patients. He even serves on the BTF weekly virtual tumor board to support providers at the cancer center in Nepal.

Speaking about his experience in Nepal he shared, “It was a great experience. These patients have to travel fifty to hundreds of miles because they know no access to health care. They’re very, very poor people, so my heart really goes out for them and that’s why I want to go back.”

Dr. Konda believes that in global health, especially for cancer, there needs to be a greater implementation of preventive care and education of young people. This includes cervical cancer screenings for women, early education about the impact of drinking and smoking, and drug use intervention.

Binaytara Foundation, a global cancer non-profit, supported the establishment of a bone marrow transplant center at Civil Service Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. BTF’s other projects include hospice and palliative care programs in India, and a cancer hospital in Janakpur, Nepal. To learn more, visit binayfoundation.org/