For a long time Leeds Rhinos legends Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield have been putting pressure on the government to release the £50 million they promised in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease.
Burrow was diagnosed with MND in December 2019 and since then Sinfield has raised over £6 million in the fight against it.
He ran seven marathons in seven days in 2020, 101 miles in one day in 2021 and recently ran seven ultramarathons in seven days.
But still the government funding wasn’t coming with people dying of MND daily including Burrow’s good friend Doddie Weir.
However, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay has confirmed that he will set out plans to release the funding.
He said on Twitter: “I will set out our plans to cut red tape and accelerate the allocation of £50 million in funding for MND research, to make breakthroughs in finding a cure and improving treatments.”
Following this, he appeared on BBC breakfast where a question from Rob Burrow was put to him.
The question was as follows:
“When will the promised funding be delivered? I’d appreciate a proper, honest answer that will give me and others confidence and hope for the future?”
He responded in kind:
“The £30 million will go out to organisations this week. We’ll have a round table for the remaining £20 million because we want to make sure it goes to quality research bids.
“It will be transferred to some at the start of the financial year on request, we’ve made a commitment we have the money. We have the funds, the frustration previously has been about the quality of the bids. We have done work with our chief scientists to cut through.
“This money is clear to go and will be allocated.”
