Dad of MND sufferer Rob Burrow vows ‘we’ll find a cure’ as Kevin Sinfield’s fundraising surges
Geoff Burrow said his son would have been ‘so proud’ to see sufferers and their families attending an open day at the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease
The dad of motor neurone disease victim Rob Burrow vowed ‘we will find a cure’ as donations to Kevin Sinfield’s fundraising campaign to combat it continue to pour in at £200 an hour.
Geoff Burrow said his son would have been ‘so proud’ to see sufferers and their families attending an open day at the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease.
Rob’s pal Kevin’s monster marathon challenges have helped fund the new building in Leeds. The People’s Knight has run seven ultra-marathons in seven days for the past six years to raise more than £11m for the cause.
Donations for his last gruelling near-200 mile trek across Britain and Ireland are still flying in at a rate of hundreds of pounds an hour – more than a week after Kevin completed it.
They bring the total he has raised this year alone to £1.4m.
The Daily Star has launched a campaign for Kevin, 45, to get a knighthood for his selfless campaign.
He was inspired after his former Great Britain and Leeds Rhinos rugby league team-mate Rob was diagnosed in 2019.
Images of Kevin carrying his friend across the finishing line of the Leeds Marathon helped raise awareness of the degenerative nerve condition which causes muscle weakness, stiffness and paralysis.
Rob died last year aged 41 after a five-year battle against the disease.
But the centre bearing his name – opened by the Prince of Wales last month – has become the heartbeat of the campaign to combat the disease and to find a cure.
Geoff tweeted: “We went to an Open Day yesterday at the brand new Rob Burrow Centre for MND – such a wonderful event.
“SO MANY essential services available for MND sufferers and families.
“Rob would be so proud, bless him.
“We will find a cure.”
The chances of Kevin getting a knighthood have rocketed with bookies saying the rugby ace is now a 3-1 shot.
Before his latest challenge the odds of him becoming ‘Sir Kev’ were 5-1.
Landing such an honour would normally have been against all odds for Kevin as it would require a rule change.
The marathon man got an OBE in 2021 for his services to rugby league and a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours List for his charity work and gong protocol suggests folk should wait three years before getting further accolades.
But the Daily Star believes his achievement should be recognised now and 50,000 fans have signed an online petition agreeing.
Darts ace Luke Littler, 18, has given the gong his backing after donating thousands of pounds of his winnings to the cause.
While TV presenter Piers Morgan, House of Commons’ speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Rob’s widow Lindsey have also backed the ‘Sir Kev’ campaign.
The Prince of Wales tweeted Kevin his congratulations for completing his latest challenge.
The current England rugby union coach has vowed to run the ultra-marathons for a seventh time next year – to match the number on Rob’s shirt – raising even more cash.
Lee Phelps, of bookmaker William Hill, said public momentum had sent the chances of Kev getting the accolade in the New Year Honours soaring.
He said: “Convention says a knighthood doesn’t usually arrive within three years of a CBE.
“But the clamour is growing for his famous moniker of ‘Sir’ Kev to be made real.”
The bookmaker had pledged its support too – making the Motor Neurone Disease Association its chosen charity.
