EXCLUSIVE: Lindsey Burrow says fundraising hero Kevin Sinfield would be ’embarrassed’ by a gong but his contribution to helping beat motor neurone disease is ‘extraordinary’
Rob Burrow’s widow has backed the Daily Star’s campaign to get Kevin Sinfield a knighthood saying his ‘extraordinary’ fundraising was bringing a motor neurone disease cure ‘closer every day’.
Lindsey Burrow said ‘nothing takes away the pain of losing Rob or the heartbreak of what he went through’ during his five-year battle with the degenerative nerve condition which causes muscle weakness, stiffness and paralysis.
But she said Rob’s best pal Kevin’s mega-marathon running – which has so far raised more than £10m to help beat the disease – had given hope both to scientists battling to find a cure and around 5,000 Brit sufferers currently living with it.
It comes after darts sensation Luke Littler backed the campaign and hailed the rugby legend as being ‘absolutely brilliant’.
Lindsey said though Kevin – who starts his latest fundraising marathon-of-marathons on December 1 – had not run a single step for ‘recognition’ and would be ‘embarrassed’ by the idea of getting one of Britain’s top gongs it was fitting he should be be a ‘sir’.
“Kevin never does any of this for recognition and I know he’d be embarrassed by the idea,” Lindsey told the Daily Star.
“But it’s impossible to ignore how extraordinary his contribution has been. If people want to see his efforts honoured in that way I would absolutely support it.”
Kevin will start his bid to run seven 31-mile ultra-marathons in seven days in Bury St Edmonds in Suffolk to raise more cash for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Should he succeed it will be the sixth time he has completed the gruelling slog in honour of his former Great Britain and Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob who died last year aged 41.
Ahead of the start Kevin has pledged to do it all again next year for a seventh time – matching the number Rob wore on his shirts – and vowed to carry on raising cash for the cause for the rest of his life.
The Daily Star has launched a campaign for his selfless fund-raising to be recognised with a knighthood. Nearly 50,000 Brits have signed an online petition backing the move after watching the heart-tugging moment he carried Rob over the Leeds Marathon finishing line in 2023.
Last week darts ace Luke Littler, 18, a massive rugby league fan, gave the gong his backing after donating thousands of pounds of his winnings to the cause.
Lindsey, 42, who has herself completed multiple marathons to bring in cash, said she believes Kevin’s efforts have had an even bigger impact than he realises. She said: “His fundraising has created real momentum – both in awareness and in practical support.
“It has helped fund research, improved care, and given people living with MND the reassurance that they’re not facing this alone. The impact is bigger than I think he realises.
“We are all incredibly proud of Kevin and all the team. His determination never seems to waver even when the challenges become tougher each year.
“What he’s doing requires not just physical strength but commitment to the MND community. People don’t see the hours of training he must do beforehand just to get to the start line.
“But I know how much it means to everyone. His promise to keep fundraising long-term means a great deal. MND needs sustained attention and support if we’re going to find a cure and make life better for families living with the disease right now. We continue to move closer each day.
“By raising money we can ensure that there are more scientists and researchers in more laboratories every day working on treatments and that is something that simply wasn’t happening.”
Lindsey said the public support for the cause had been ‘overwhelming’. In November the mum-of-three watched the Prince of Wales open the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds for patients and their families – funded by £6.8m in donations from 17,000 individuals and organisations.
Along with medical and clinical facilities it includes a wellness garden, reflection and reading areas and a memorial zone. In an inspirational final message Rob recorded for the BBC which he asked to be shared after his death he urged folk not to ‘waste a moment’ of their lives and hoped there would one day be a cure.
He said: “Whatever your personal battle, be brave and face it. In a world full of adversity we must still dare to dream.”
Lindsey said her husband would be so proud how pal Kevin’s efforts had resulted in helping fulfil his ‘dream’. She said: “Rob would be very proud and just so grateful to everybody that’s donated.
“It was a special day for the family to see the centre open. This is a place where we can come and remember Rob and remember his legacy. What Rob wanted to do was help other people and other families and this centre will do that. To me the centre is a centre of love. It was built with the kindness and generosity of so many people that have donated.
“From cake sales to running marathons to various fundraising activities and it’s just the centre for the people. I hope people will come and feel just as proud as we are of the centre. The support has been overwhelming in the best possible way.
“Nothing takes away the pain of losing Rob or the heartbreak of what he went through. But knowing the public cared – and still care – has brought real comfort. It’s shown us how much Rob meant to people.”
Find more information on Kevin’s 7 in 7 Challenge here.
Find information on how to contribute here.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.