Winner
Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield
Summary of work
Following a highly successful playing career including multiple appearances for GB and 8 Super-League Championships in December 2019 Rob Burrows was diagnosed with MND. Since his diagnosis, Rob has openly shared his life and campaigned for all individuals impacted by the disease, becoming an MNS Association Patron. He has been joined in this by his close friend and former team mate Kevin Sinfield who has undertaken major endurance challenges to raise funds and awareness. That's why this is a joint nomination.
Rob and Kevin have successfully used their public platform to raise awareness for MND, utilising their popularity to help spread knowledge and awareness of the condition in the general public. Rob has been at the forefront of the design of a new MND centre in Leeds (The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease), which will be the first of its kind in the UK to be based around the holistic needs of MND patients and their families, championing a new standard of care for MND in the UK. Kevin has dedicated himself to raising money and awareness for MND and has raised over £7 million through the challenges he has completed so far, funding critical MND research and support for those affected.
Testimonials and Judges’ comments
At the 2022 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, Rob Burrow was awarded the Helen Rollason award, for "raising awareness of/and fundraising" for Motor Neurone Disease and Kevin Sinfield was also awarded the Panel Special award, for his remarkable fundraising for research and support for MND.
Rob was awarded to 2000th Points of Light Award by the prime minister in March this year in recognition of his status as an outstanding individual volunteer https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-64876195
