Rob Burrow: Money raised by Kevin Sinfield in support of team-mate to fund MND research
- Published
Kevin Sinfield captained Rob Burrow for much of Burrow's 17-year career playing for Leeds Rhinos
Money raised by Leeds Rhinos legend Kevin Sinfield for team-mate Rob Burrow and the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association will help fund research into the condition.
Sinfield ran seven marathons in seven days and raised £2.2m in support of Burrow, who is living with the illness.
The money will go toward six areas of the charity's work, including frontline services, local support and research.
"I'm really proud of how that money will be utilised," Sinfield said.
The former England captain said Burrow and his family were "part of the journey" in helping decide how the money would be spent.
"It was really important we got them to be happy with it as well because they've lived it, they understand it and if there was anything we'd missed or there were any holes in it I wanted us to make sure that we're covered off," Sinfield said.
Rob Burrow's quest to raise awareness of MND
The seven-time Super League title winner, who initially set out to raise £77,777 for the charity and Burrow, also said that "hopefully this is just the start of more fundraising" for the cause.
More than a quarter of the money raised will go toward research projects, which includes efforts to find potential treatments.
The charity said the "heightened awareness" created by Sinfield and Burrow led to greater fundraising activity, which has allowed them to add a further £2m to their research budget of £3m they have already committed to for the year.
Twenty-two care centres supported by the MND Association in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will also benefit, as frontline services get a £1.25m boost, while £300,000 will support people affected by the disease.
Money that Sinfield raised will be spent over three years, with 40% going to new projects.
"This money will make such a real difference, not only now but into the future as we use it to explore new ways of providing support and driving research," said MND Association's chief executive Sally Light.