Greg Norton, the bassist of legendary Minnesota punk band Hüsker Dü, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
According to a post on Facebook, Norton was diagnosed at the beginning of June. “My doctors at the Mayo Clinic believe I have excellent odds, but we need to get in right away and move forward with treatment and surgery,” he noted.
Friends of the musician have launched a GoFundMe in his name to help pay for the unexpected medical bills. After 24 hours, the fundraiser is more than halfway to its goal of $30,000. “Unfortunately, our beloved friend Greg Norton, bass player for the legendary Hüsker Dü and UltraBomb, has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” the GoFundMe page reads. “We can’t imagine the stress and anxiety he and his family must be going through.”
“One thing that’s for sure, though, is that the cost of treatment in the United States is eye-watering,” the statement continues. “We want to help alleviate some of that pressure…Please help us by donating what you can. Let’s get Greg treated and well, back on his feet and rocking out again in no time!” Click here to check out the GoFundMe page for Norton’s medical bills.
Norton recently teamed up with Finny McConnell (The Mahones) and Jamie Oliver (U.K. Subs) to form a band called Ultrabomb. The trio had been set to embark on a US tour in support of their debut album, but due to Norton’s diagnosis the tour has been pushed back until the fall. Additionally, shows scheduled in the UK have been canceled outright.
In September 2017, Norton’s Hüsker Dü bandmate, Grant Hart, passed away from complications of liver cancer.