The Canadian Cancer Society is partnering with major venues across Canada to host live screenings of The Tragically Hip’s concert in Kingston, Ontario on August 20. We are encouraging venues in Prince Rupert to consider partnering with the Society in order to broadcast the concert to fans of the Hip while raising critically needed funds for brain cancer research.
The CBC, which is airing the concert live between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. (PDT), is working with the Society to grant the broadcast rights to venues who want to screen the concert. Fans who attend will be encouraged to donate to the newly established Brain Cancer Research Fund in honour of Gord Downie.
In May, Downie – the lead singer for the band – revealed he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, a currently incurable brain cancer. He is one of 3,000 Canadians who will be told this year that they have brain cancer.
It is expected that nearly 2,000 Canadians will die from the disease this year. Brain cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in children aged 0-14 and the second most common cause of cancer death among older adolescents and young adults aged 15-29. Glioblastoma is the most common type of brain cancer in adults and one with an average survival of less than 15 months after diagnosis.
Despite the Canadian Cancer Society investing $10 million in the last 5 years in brain cancer research projects across the country, there is still a long way to go. Survival rates are low and we can’t fund brain cancer research without help from generous donors.
We are calling on venues in Prince Rupert to connect with us to bring the August 20 concert, The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration, to local fans and raise funds for the fight against brain cancer.
Helen Owen
Team Lead, Annual Giving
Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon