How Rob Burrow overcame the odds and raised MND awareness to unachievable levels

The awful news that Rob Burrow has passed away was confirmed today with Burrow’s former club Leeds Rhinos sharing the news with fans.

Aged 41, Burrow had lived the past four and a half years of his life with Motor Neurone Disease after confirming his diagnosis back in December 2019.

Much of that journey has been documented by the team at BBC with several brilliant documentaries to provide insight into what life is like for all those surrounding someone with such an illness. They will serve, alongside his amazing career highlights, as the mark of a man who always fought the odds and more often than not came out on top.

As Rob’s Dad Geoff has championed, ‘MND isn’t incurable, it’s just underfunded’, but thanks to the brilliant fundraising efforts of Rob Burrow, it is far better funded now than at the time of his diagnosis almost five years ago.

That’s a testament to the man that all rugby league fans used to adore watching. He has since transcended rugby league and become a mainstay in the public eye as a champion, a warrior and a loving family man.

Remembering Rob Burrow: A Rugby League legend turned inspirational campaigner

Lucky enough to be born at a time when it was Leeds Rhinos ‘Golden Generation’, but determined enough to make a career in rugby league. Many players the size and stature of Rob Burrow would have taken heed the first time that they were told ‘You’re too small’.

Rob Burrow didn’t see his height as a disadvantage though, instead, he made it his superpower. Think back to that iconic Grand Final try against St Helens, just one moment in a career full of highlights.

During his 17-year career at the Headingley club, he made almost 500 appearances and took home a record eight Super League titles whilst also winning two Harry Sunderland Trophies for his Man of the Match performances.

His clean sweep of the votes in the 2011 Grand Final surmised what a special player he was, as does the fact that the award has now been renamed as the Rob Burrow Man of the Match award.

That is simply a snapshot of his career on the field though. His notoriety rose to another level during his post-career and his battle against illness, a battle that he refused to accept lying down.

How Burrow put MND on the map

Once diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, patients are typically given an expected life span of three years. Rob Burrow laughed at that and made the very most of the four and a half years that he did have though.

There’s a very high chance that just five years ago plenty of people in the UK would not have known what MND was. They still might not know the intricacies but when MND is mentioned on the television, in the paper or in conversation, the response is almost always; ‘Is that what Rob Burrow has?’

Awareness is crucial to combatting these so-called incurable diseases and Rob Burrow and those around him have done more than anybody to ensure that Motor Neurone Disease is on the map and that it will gain funding.

Plenty of that funding has been raised by Kevin Sinfield and the feats that he has been inspired to do to support his best friend, whilst a huge chunk has come after Burrow and a host of other MND campaigners took to Downing Street to force change.

With the Rob Burrow Centre for MND being built currently, his legacy will forever live on, whilst the memories that he created for fans will also see him talked about for generations to come. Not just as one of the finest rugby league players to ever grace the planet, but as one of the finest men. A man who showed indomitable spirit and did it all with a smile on his face too.

Serious About Rugby League would like to send thoughts and prayers to all those connected with Rob and send our love to his family and friends.

For more information and how to donate to the Rob Burrow Centre for MND, click here.