Canadian Music Week has presented the legendary Canadian band Rush with the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award in recognition of their extensive charity work.
The award includes a $40,000 donation that can be made to the recipient’s charity of choice, and the members of Rush are directing those funds to Gord Downie Brain Cancer Fund.
The Tragically Hip frontman was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer earlier this year, but the band went on to play a series of final shows that concluded with a sold-out nationally televised performance here in their hometown of Kingston.
Rush’s Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson will receive the prestigious Allan Slaight Humanitarian Spirit Award at the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards ceremony on April 20, 2017 in Toronto.
In an online post, Rush said: “We are pleased to direct this generous donation from the Allan Slaight Humanitarian award to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research at Sunnybrook. Many Canadian families have been affected either directly or indirectly by this terrible disease. Through Gord’s courageous efforts this cause is now getting the attention it desperately deserves. As fellow musicians and friends it’s our turn to help support his efforts to fight brain cancer now.”
Dr James Perry, Head of neurology at Sunnybrook, said the donation will help give them the tools required to “find ways to treat the untreatable”. The hospital is investigating new drugs, surgical techniques and genetic therapies, along with using ultrasound to reach tumours that couldn’t be reached before. Efforts that will benefit brain cancer patients in Canada and around the world.
Rush was recognized with this award for their charity work with agencies that include United Way, Doctors Without Borders, and a local Toronto Food Bank.
You can learn more about Sunnybrook’s brain cancer research at sunnybrook.ca/braincancer. They continue to accept donations to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research at sunnybrook.ca/gord.
Photos: RUSH.com | TheHip.com
