Tragically Hip's Gord Downie has terminal brain cancer

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Tragically Hip via Flickr.com

Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip performs in 2009.

Gord Downie of the Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The band announced the news in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“(H)e’s endured a lot of difficult times, and he has been fighting hard. In privacy along with his family, and through all of this, we’ve been standing by him,” the band wrote.

But instead of announcing the band’s retirement, or a hiatus while Downie pursues treatment, the group instead announced it’s going on a final tour with Downie.

“This feels like the right thing to do now, for Gord, and for all of us,” they wrote.

“What we in the Hip receive, each time we play together, is a connection; with each other; with music and it’s magic; and during the shows, a special connection with all of you, our incredible fans. So, we’re going to dig deep, and try to make this our best tour yet.”

The band said it would announce dates and cities later this week. The group, which formed in 1984, has had nine No. 1 albums in Canada and won 14 Juno awards, the country’s equivalent of the Grammys.