The Tragically Hip's Gord Downie Diagnosed with Terminal Brain Cancer

Gord Downie, the lead singer for Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, the group announced on their website on Tuesday.

In the statement, the alt-rock group posted that Downie, 52, was diagnosed in December, and they'd been standing by him as a group.

"He'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."

They also said that despite the diagnosis of a primary glioblastoma, they'd continue to perform as a group.

"After 30-some years together as The Tragically Hip, thousands of shows and hundreds of tours…we've decided to do another one," they announced. "This feels like the right thing to do now, for God, and for all of us."

While the band was never a mainstream act in the U.S., in their native Canada, they've had nine albums go to No.1, and have received 14 Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy.

Doctors who have been treating Downie in Toronto confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday that his glioblastoma was not curable, but that it shouldn't affect his ability to sing.