By Elliott West
“On behalf of me and all the sufferers out there, thanks from the bottom of our hearts.”
Rob Burrow
Introduction
For far too long terminal illness has been a taboo subject, a diagnosis that comes like a bolt from the blue with an imaginary judge raising his gavel to impose a death sentence on the person in question.Thankfully the tide of change is starting to turn and a conversation has begun regarding awareness of these life changing illness that has been described as like looking down the barrel of a loaded shotgun. For the purpose of this piece, I would like to discuss Motor Neuron Disease or MND as it abbreviated to for short and how it has changed the life of a high profile sportspersons. I would like to highlight the case of Rob Burrow, the former Leeds Rhinos rugby league player.
Background
Currently in the United Kingdom, there are 5,000 people living with Motor Neurone Disease, a staggering statistic for an illness that can strike at any time in life. A rare condition that affects the brain and the nervous system, causing muscle weakness, slurred speech, and difficulty swallowing and sadly leads to eventual death after the body finally shuts down. A disease that can only be controlled by various medications with no known cure to date.
Rob’s Story
Born in 1982 in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, Robert Burrow would go on to have a glittering career playing on a professional club and international level, playing his entire 16 years with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League and additionally as a representative for England and Great Britain. Weighing less than 11 stones and measuring just 5 foot 5 inches, Burrow was dubbed as “the smallest player in the Super League”. A measurement that clearly hinders him as he would become one of the most successful players in its history, winning eight Super League championships, two Challenge Cups and winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy twice.
However, in 2019, tragedy struck when Rob was given the terrible news that he had Motor Neuron Disease. A diagnosis that would send a lot of people to become withdrawn and negative. Despite this major blow and recent declining health, Rob has campaigned tirelessly to promote awareness of Motor Neurone Disease. A brave campaign that has been applauded by other people living with the disease. A campaign that led him to be awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List. Now in a wheelchair and unable to speak, Burrow communicates via a sensory computerised keyboard and even narrated a bedtime story on CBeebies.
The Race for Life
Rob’s story is additionally moving because of his friendship with Kevin Sinfield. Best friends for 15 years, both played for Leeds Rhinos and Kevin wanted to do something for his friend and other people living day to day with this debilitating condition. Doubters would say he couldn’t achieve such a gruelling task but Kevin was determined to complete seven marathons in seven days for his best friend and the others. This would be a run that would test every bone in his body and push him to the ultimate limit. The idea of seven marathons was inspired by Rob’s number 7 rugby jersey. A feat that he achieved and raised £1.1 million for MND in the process.
A second race challenge would come a year later with Rob attempting to run from Leicester Tigers’ Welford Road Stadium to Headingley Rugby Stadium in Leeds, a run that measured 101 miles in distance and one that would last a day with complete sleep deprivation. Such challenges would inspire the BBC to make a documentary about Kevin and Rob called Going The Extra Mile. One that is filled with love, inspiration and tears.
Afterthoughts
Both Rob and Kevin are true local heroes in my opinion and thoroughly deserve the praise bestowed on them. One continuously battles this disease that kills 33% of patients in the first year and 50% in the second year. The other, Kevin just wants to help his best friend and all those who live with this illness. He is the selfless one, he doesn’t want praise or adoration, just the chance to make a difference and inspire others to become engaged in his campaign for awareness of MND and raise money for care and potentially a future cure for this dreadful disease that completely changes a person’s life, physique and all those family and friends who are affected.
