Two days after The Tragically Hip completed their emotional farewell tour in Kingston, Ont., the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research has raised more than $265,000.
Toronto鈥檚 Sunnybrook Hospital that the fund will grow as donations continue to pour in online through . The hospital said it has also heard from several corporations 鈥渨ho have expressed their interest in supporting the fund.鈥
Gord Downie, the Hip鈥檚 52-year-old frontman, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain tumour that is difficult to treat and has a poor prognosis. Downie went public with his diagnosis and launched what could be the band鈥檚 final tour, which put brain cancer research and funding into the spotlight.
Sunnybrook says the donations will give the hospital 鈥渢ools to help beat brain cancers that are currently unbeatable.鈥
The hospital is currently investigating new drugs, surgical techniques and genetic therapies to treat brain cancer.