Kevin Sinfield praises MND victims who ‘simply get on with life’ as problem begins
EXCLUSIVE Kevin Sinfield, who’s raised millions to find a cure for motor neurone disease, admitted to battling a ‘rollercoaster’ of emotions as his ultra-marathon challenge started
Marathon man Kevin Sinfield said he was inspired to keep on running to beat motor neurone disease by brave sufferers who ‘just get on with life and try to make the best of it’.
The star – who has raised more than £10m in a bid to find a cure – was stunned by the vast crowds who turned out in driving rain and an icy wind on Monday (December 1) to cheer him on as he launched his bid to complete seven ultra-marathons in seven days.
After finishing the first 27.9-mile leg of his challenge from Bury St Edmunds to Ipswich he admitted battling a ‘rollercoaster’ of emotions.
Kevin, whose epic efforts have inspired stars like teen darts champion Luke Littler to donate to the cause, said his own motivation was the courage of those fighting the horror nerve condition that causes muscle weakness, stiffness and paralysis. Despite the grim prognosis for those who get the disease – which he said attacks ‘the best of us’ and for which there is currently no cure – the rugby ace said he never ceased to be amazed by their determination to squeeze every enjoyment they can from life.
Appearing close to tears Kevin told the Daily Star: “You’d think I’d be used to it by now. But you never get used to the support I’ve had today.
“It’s been a good day. The first round you’re full of beans, you’re excited, you’re ready to go.
“The rain is beating down and it’s cold. That’s what we expect this time of year. It’s a good time of year for us to run. And there’s nobody else doing anything this time of year so to bring this community together is special.
“They are so brave and courageous as a community. They have not been looked after properly for a long time and it’s got to change.
“We’ve got to try and find a cure. If that means we have to run we’ll run.”
Kevin, 45, admitted he ‘didn’t know much about’ the disease before his former Great Britain and Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow was diagnosed in 2019. He launched his fundraising marathon after seeing it take hold of his pal.
Images of him carrying Rob across the finishing line of the Leeds Marathon helped raise awareness nationwide.
Kevin told the crowd he was running yesterday in ‘memory of’ and ‘tribute to’ Rob who died last year aged 41 after a five-year battle with the condition – and on behalf of the around 8,000 sufferers currently living with it in the UK.
“They’re inspiring,” he told us.
“I didn’t know much about MND until Rob got diagnosed. He fought so bravely – the Burrow family. How courageous they were. They inspired me and continue to inspire me today. You just have to look around the crowd here.
“The people you meet with MND and the challenges they face. They just get on with life and try and make the best of it.
“But we’ve got to help them. MND only affects the best of us and you’ve seen the love today from so many people. I don’t think people have had the avenues and the roots to be able to show that previously. We try and do our little bit.”
Kevin is set to run six more ultra-marathons – each at least 27.9 miles long – across Britain and Ireland in the next six days. Should he succeed it will be the sixth time he has completed the gruelling slog. He has pledged to do it again next year for a seventh time – matching the number Rob wore on his shirts – and to carry on raising cash for the cause for the rest of his life.
Before hopping into an ice bath ahead of a flight to Ireland for the second run in Cork on Tuesday he admitted training for the event was getting tougher. He said: “It takes up a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of dark mornings, putting yourself in a dark spot. I retired from playing 10 years ago so I’m not an athlete and I haven’t been for a long time.
“I’ve got a family. And I’m trying to balance my time like everybody else. But it’s something I’m really committed to.”
He told hundreds who gathered to see him off on his near 200-mile trek he hoped his efforts would show ‘everybody’s important, everybody’s loved and everybody is cared for’. The star said: “To see so many people here in the cold, wet, wind and dark is fantastic.
“Our challenge is about putting people together and communities together. To see so many people here supporting who get it, understand why we’re here, understand what we’re trying to do. To see kids who have got the morning off school is great.
“Thank you once again. This makes it all worthwhile. The big task for us is to make sure everybody’s important, everybody’s loved and everybody is cared for.”
Kevin – now an England rugby union coach – then set off through the streets in a hail of confetti to cheers and applause from a crowd including sufferers and their families. Six hours later he got a heroes’ welcome as he completed the first of his mammoth runs at Ipswich Town’s Portman Road stadium.
He was greeted by former Ipswich striker Marcus Stewart who helped secure the club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2000 and qualify for the UEFA Cup. Marcus, 53, was diagnosed with MND in 2022 while head of player development at Yeovil Town.
He has spoken candidly about how the disease has ‘slowly taken my independence away’ but has still spearheaded fundraising events with former Liverpool and Bradford City footballer Stephen Darby, 37, who also has the disease. Stewart, who also played for Sunderland, admitted Sinfield’s work gave him ‘hope’ that money would ‘go towards a treatment or a cure eventually’.
“I often think who is going to take over the reins after these people leave a legacy once they finish all of their challenges and I am hoping someone will take over the baton,” the footballer said.
“For Kev to do a challenge so close to Christmas and people still put money in is beyond belief, really, because of the time of year.”
The Daily Star has launched a campaign for Kevin’s selfless fundraising to be recognised with a knighthood. Nearly 50,000 Brits have signed an online petition backing the move.
Last week darts ace Luke Littler, 18, a big rugby league fan, gave the gong his backing after donating thousands of pounds of his winnings to the cause. Rob’s wife Lindsey, 42, who has herself completed multiple marathons to bring in cash, said she believes Kevin’s efforts are worthy of one of Britain’s top gongs.
Ipswich mayor Stefan Long has also added his support to our ‘Sir Kevin’ bid. He said: “The first time I saw Kevin Sinfield on BBC Breakfast when he first started this I just burst into tears,” he said.
“The emotions that this man manages to make everyone feel – he’s an absolute hero. He’s a superstar. I don’t think anyone wouldn’t be backing this man for a knighthood.
“The money he has raised. The awareness he is raising. Just look around and see how many people have come out on a cold December morning to support what he is doing. Of course I would support that.”
After the Irish leg Kevin will run in Swansea, Sheffield, Cumbria and Dundee before what looks sure to be an emotion-packed last leg in Leeds on December 7.
