Summary

  • The new £6.8m Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) opens at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds

  • It is named after the rugby league legend, who died in June 2024 aged 41

  • Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019 and spent years raising awareness and millions of pounds to fund research into the condition

  • Burrow's wife, Lindsey, says Rob would have been "incredibly proud" of the new centre

Live Reporting

Edited by Chloe Laversuch with reporting from David Spereall

  1. Thank you and farewell

    A man and woman with grey hair stand next to a woman with dark hair next to a glass door with a blue ribbon across it. A girl is holding a boy in the air and he is cutting the ribbon with scissors. A girl and a woman with long dark hair stand next to them.PA Media

    Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of the Rob Burrow MND Centre opening today.

    The centre opens following a huge fundraising campaign by Burrow, his family, friends and many supporters.

    Expect the facility to have a lasting impact on those affected by MND in the years to come.

  2. Rob would be 'so proud' of MND centre

    A woman with long dark hair sits at a table next to a woman with blonde hair, a boy and two girls. They are laughing. On the table there is a pot of colourful pens, paper, toys and a mug. Behind them is a colourful image of umbrellas and a plant.PA Media

    Burrow's family have been spending the morning at the new centre, which has a dedicated room for patients' loved ones.

    Speaking earlier this year, on the first anniversary of his death, Burrow's wife Lindsey said her husband would have been "so proud" of the treatment centre that bears his name.

    During a visit to the site in June she said: "Ultimately that's what Rob wanted to do, to help other families.

    "To have this centre for us as a family, as somewhere we can come to remember Rob and to be able to share that with other families that are in the same situation that we've been in, is incredibly special."

    "Rob would be incredibly proud, he was so humbled.

    "To have this centre, to have the marathon, it's just part of Rob's legacy and the amazing work that he's done for the MND community.

    "He was the face of the MND community in the most difficult of circumstances but to have this, I think it really gives people hope."

    Lindsey and Rob Burrow. Lindsey is crouched down wearing a blue running top and blue and yellow headband. Rob is sat in a wheelchair, his head held in place by a supportive strap. They are both smiling.PA Media

  3. What is MND and how to spot the signs

    The death of Rob Burrow, four years after his diagnosis, prompted lots of questions about the devastating disease motor neurone disease (MND) and the search for a cure.

    The BBC's health team has been looking at what the disease is and answering some of your questions about it.

    Rob Burrow smiles at the camera. He has short, light brown hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a dark coloured jumperPA Media

    What is MND?

    MND affects nerves found in the brain and spinal cord, which tell your muscles what to do.

    Progression of the disease can be rapid - more than half of those affected die within two years of being diagnosed.

    How do you get MND?

    It is a relatively rare condition - about 5,000 adults in the UK will have the disease at any one time.

    Scientists are not sure what causes MND, but it is likely to be a combination of the genes - or biological traits - you get from your parents when you are born, and other factors.

    What are the first signs of the disease?

    MND affects everyone differently - it can progress at different speeds too.

    Some of the most common signs are:

    • muscle weakness and cramps
    • stiff joints
    • problems with how you speak
    • issues with swallowing, eating and drinking
    • weakened coughing

    You can find out more about MND here.

  4. 'Patients at centre's heart' - Lindsey Burrow

    A man in a wheelchair wearing a black and orange puffer jacket with a strap around his forehead next to a woman with long darl hair wearing a black jacket who is smiling at the camera.PA Media

    Burrow's widow Lindsey says to see the building finally completed is a real "pinch-me moment".

    "I know hand on heart that patients are at the very centre of this building, everything has been designed with patients in mind," she says.

    "Access into the centre, having quiet rooms, having family space - everything has been encompassed into the design."

  5. How did we get here?

    A modern wood clad building with large full height glass windows. A paved area outside the building with grass beds with trees planted in them.PA Media

    With fundraising well under way, final designs for the centre were published in February 2024.

    The facility was pitched as a flagship centre for MND care provision in the north.

    In June of that year, the first spades went into the ground on the project, just one day after Burrow's death was announced by his family.

    And then, last December, the £6.8m fundraising target was reached.

  6. Centre will provide 'best care for families'

    Jessica Bayley
    BBC Radio Leeds

    Patients, staff and Rob Burrow's friends and family gather in the main entrance of the Rob Burrow MND Centre in Leeds ahead of its openingPA Media

    Burrow's consultant, Dr Agam Jung, is the director for the new centre.

    "It has been five years since the germination of the idea to build this centre - a legacy of Rob's strength, his family's support, and the compassion of an entire community," she says.

    "I was very pleased when Rob fully embraced the Leeds MND Service ethos of living in the now.

    "He wanted to leave a legacy for people to be able to do so, and this has spread across the MND community."

    She says everyone working in the centre will focus on providing the "best care and community" for families and patients.

  7. 'Don't waste a moment' - Rob Burrow's final message

    In his final message Rob Burrow urged people not to "waste a moment" of their lives.

    The speech was recorded for BBC documentary There’s Only One Rob Burrow, with the former Leeds Rhinos star asking for it to be shared after his death.

    Burrow said he hoped there would one day be a cure for the degenerative condition.

    "My final message to you is whatever your personal battle, be brave and face it," he said.

    "In a world full of adversity we must still dare to dream."

  8. 'It seemed like a huge target'

    A man with short brown hair is wearing a blue t-shirt and gesturing towards the left of the frame. In the background are rugby bags and balls and a window out on to a rugby pitch.BBC Breakfast

    Burrow's close friend and former teammate, Kevin Sinfield, helped spearhead the fundraising campaign by completing a series of ultra-marathon challenges.

    Sinfield tells BBC Breakfast that when the target rose from £5m to £6.8m due to post-Covid rising costs he feared "this could be too big".

    But thanks to people's generosity, he says: "We've got to the point where something incredibly special has been put together.

    "Yes it's bricks and mortar, but those bricks and mortar will enable families to have a better journey and that's been a big part of this."

  9. The moment the ribbon was cut

    The centre was officially opened live on BBC Breakfast earlier.

    Burrow's son, Jackson, and consultant, Dr Agam Jung, cut the ribbon.

  10. 'We hope this centre can offer people hope and a future'

    Irene and Geoff Burrow. Mrs Burrow is wearing a zip up MNDA hoodie over a white top. She has dark glasses and white hair. Mr Burrow is wearing a grey coat over a v-neck sweater, shirt and tie. He also has dark glasses, a grey beard and grey hair.

    Burrow's parents Geoff and Irene were given a tour of the centre before it opened.

    Speaking to the BBC, Irene says: "When Rob and Lindsey first mentioned this five years ago I never thought this would be it. It's an amazing building.

    "It will make such a difference to people with MND and their families, because the families go through a lot as well and this will hopefully make it just that little bit better for them."

    Geoff adds: "When you get diagnosed it's no hope and no future. Well I just hope that having this facility takes the no away from no hope and no future, so there is hope and there is a future."

  11. 'Rob would see today as a big win'

    Jessica Bayley
    BBC Radio Leeds

    Former Leeds Rhinos player Jamie Jones Buchanan, posing for a photo. He is pictured wearing a dark gillet, with a poppy below his left lapel. An orange wall is behind his right shoulder.Jess Bayley/BBC

    The opening of the centre, nearly 18 months after Burrow's death, offers a moment of reflection for those who knew him as a friend and teammate.

    Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who played for Leeds Rhinos from 1999 to 2020, says today is a "jaw-dropping" achievement.

    "It's emotional," he says. "I look at it through the lens of a former teammate and I think he'd look at this as a big win."

    Jones-Buchanan adds: "Rob was the most courageous human I've ever met, on and off the fields."

  12. Who was Rob Burrow?

    Rob BurrowPA

    Born in Pontefract in 1982, Rob Burrow went on to become one of the most successful English rugby league players in history.

    During a 17-year career he made nearly 500 appearances for Leeds Rhinos, winning eight Super League Grand Finals, three World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups. He also made 15 appearances for England.

    Just two years after retiring from professional rugby, Burrow was diagnosed with MND in December 2019.

    Following his diagnosis he dedicated himself to raising awareness of the condition, speaking openly alongside his wife, Lindsey, and children, Jackson, Maya and Macy, about the impact of the disease on him and his family.

    He was made an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for his services to the sport and for his work in the MND community.

    And, together with his friend and former teammate Kevin Sinfield, he was made a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours, with the pair having helped to raise more than £15m for MND charities.

    Burrow died in June 2024 at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield age 41.

  13. 'Such an honour'

    Lindsey Burrow and her children in front of a door with a blue bow on it at the Rob Burrow MND Centre in LeedsPA Media

    Lindsey Burrow says the opening of the centre is "a really special day".

    "To have so many of the staff that work in the centre and indeed the patients here it is just such an honour."

    She says it has been incredible to raise the £6.8m to fund the centre with the help of more than 17,000 donors.

    Mrs Burrow says it was down to the "generosity and kindness" of so many people.

    "We're just so incredibly proud and grateful and so would Rob be."

  14. What is the Rob Burrow Centre?

    The new centre is a specialist facility at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds for patients with MND and their families.

    The centre cost about £6.8m to build and was funded by a public appeal by Leeds Hospitals Charity, with more than 17,000 individuals and organisations donating to the scheme..

    A large chunk of the fundraising was done by Rob Burrow's best friend, fellow rugby player Kevin Sinfield who undertook a series of gruelling challenges, including running seven marathons in seven days.

    As well as medical and clinical facilities, the centre will also offer a holistic space for patients and their families, with a wellness garden, reflection and reading areas and a memorial zone.

    A rendering of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Nuerone DiseaseLeeds Hospitals Charity

  15. Good morning and welcome

    Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the opening of the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in Leeds.

    The facility, which will offer specialist support for MND patients, is named after the late rugby league legend who was diagnosed with the condition in 2019.

    Burrow, together with close friend and former Leeds Rhinos teammate Kevin Sinfield, raised millions of pounds to fund research and care for the condition before his death in 2024.

    Burrow's family, pictured below, were guests of honour at today's ceremony.

    A group of eight people, some of them children, smile and pose for a photo in front of some large glass doors and a blue ribbon.Danny Lawson/PA