Lindsey Burrow to run London Marathon in memory of late husband Rob
Lindsey Burrow is to run this year's London Marathon in memory of her late husband, former rugby league star Rob Burrow.
Leeds Rhinos great Burrow died in June 2024 aged 41, five years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Burrow and his former team-mate Kevin Sinfield raised more than £15million for MND charities through fundraising and campaigning.
Lindsey will run in the London Marathon with her brother Mark on April 27 to continue raising money for the Leeds Hospitals Charity and the Leeds Rhinos Foundation.
'Running the London Marathon after losing my husband, Rob, to motor neurone disease is not just a physical challenge. It's a deeply personal journey of love, loss, and resilience,' she said.
'As I lace up my shoes, I carry with me the spirit of my beloved husband, Rob. His strength in the face of MND inspires me to push beyond my limits and find purpose in the midst of loss.
'This marathon represents not only a tribute to his incredible fight but also a celebration of the love we shared and the memories we created.
'Each mile I run is a testament to his enduring legacy, a reminder that even in the darkest times, we can find purpose and hope.
'I am running for him; for all those affected by this disease; and for the belief that together, we can make a difference.'
Lindsey, 41, ran in the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in 2023 and the Yorkshire Marathon last year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Statesman
19 hours ago
- New Statesman
Rugby league's knighthood is long-overdue recognition of the sport
Illustration by Charlotte Trounce David Beckham's long road to a knighthood has reached its end. While few would deny the former England captain his moment of recognition, some wonder about the openness with which he has sought the top honour. Yet for all the attention Beckham's knighthood has generated, it is the longer road taken by rugby league that carries deeper significance. Billy Boston's knighthood represents more than belated recognition for one of rugby league's pioneers; it is indicative of an establishment that is finally ready to honour a sport it has long overlooked. A few years ago, my fellow rugby league historian Tony Collins and I worked out that no rugby league player had been knighted since the game was first played in 1895. Because of its history as the sport of the industrial northern working class, rugby league has been uncomfortable with titles, in contrast to rugby union. In Labour clubs across the north, fans have assured themselves that 'honours are earned on the pitch, not in Whitehall committee rooms'. There was nobility in this defiance, but it shouldn't excuse a snobbish system that has excluded players from national recognition. What changed this old class story? The extraordinary efforts of Kevin Sinfield, who has transcended rugby league through his fundraising for motor neurone disease (MND) research. His friendship with the late Rob Burrow, who suffered from MND, became a symbol of courage that moved the nation to tears. Rugby league supporters have long called him 'Sir Kev' in the absence of official recognition. Each year, while figures from cricket, athletics, football, tennis and rugby union receive the top honours, often providing a roll-call of the nation's elite schools where these athletes were educated in the process, rugby league demanded to know why Sinfield was being overlooked. 'Sir Kev' forced the rugby league community to look at its history for other figures who have been overlooked. Boston, who can claim statues in Wigan, Cardiff and London, yet remains unknown to much of Britain, was the obvious candidate. In the 1950s and 1960s, Billy Boston was rugby league's Beckham equivalent, filling grounds across the north. During league's postwar boom, he carried the sport to international prominence. Boston was the first black player to tour Australia with Great Britain. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Born in Cardiff's impoverished Tiger Bay docklands, Boston dreamed of playing rugby union for Wales. Racial prejudice in the sport made Boston's dream far less achievable. Union scouts never came calling. His story rarely features in narratives about postwar Britain. The government has sought to address this in recent months. David Baines, chair of the rugby league all-party parliamentary group, made campaigning for honours a priority for the group. The Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle declared that the lack of rugby league knighthoods 'cannot be right', while Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan, argued that Boston should be the first. The speed at which the system moved to accommodate Boston – who has been diagnosed with dementia – represents something more profound than overdue recognition for rugby league. Billy Boston becomes Sir Billy: an acknowledgement that excellence can come from Tiger Bay as much from the Home Counties. Boston's knighthood is for every rugby league follower. While football fans may question why Beckham needs another title, Boston's achievement will be a proud moment across the north. These are the working-class towns where parents work double shifts to pay for boots and kit, where coaches volunteer evenings to keep children off the streets, and where excellence emerges not from privilege but from determination. Anthony Broxton is the author of 'Hope and Glory: Rugby League in Thatcher's Britain' [See also: Football for the KSI generation] Related
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Dad died six months after being diagnosed with MND, but Marie Curie helped him so much'
Ahead of Father's Day, a Co Down woman opens up about her family's heartbreak after losing her dad to motor neurone disease Ahead of Global MND Awareness Day on June 21, Jacqueline King, from Ballywalter, is raising awareness of the disease and the work of Marie Curie, who cared for her dad, Hubert McConnell, before his death in 2017. Almost eight years on, she says her family 'didn't know enough' about MND but that the kindness of the staff at the Marie Curie Hospice in Belfast was a comfort to her dad and the whole family at a very difficult time.
ITV News
3 days ago
- ITV News
Friends and family of former footballer Stephen Darby walk 156 Miles for Motor Neurone Disease
Hundreds have joined a grassroots football tour across the North to raise funds and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease (MND), in support of former footballer Stephen Darby. Over the weekend, more than 200 people are taking part in the charity walk across the North West and Yorkshire, raising money for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation. The 156-mile walk aims to support those living with Motor Neurone Disease and to help fund crucial research into finding a cure. The event, which starts and ends at Ossett United near Wakefield and includes stops at more than 20 football clubs — among them Leeds United, Farsley Celtic, Bradford City, Bradford Park Avenue, Brighouse Town, FC Halifax Town, Rochdale, Bury, Radcliffe, Horwich RMI, Atherton Collieries, Trafford, Altrincham, Stockport County, Hyde United, Stalybridge Celtic, Droylsden, FC United of Manchester, Oldham Athletic, Longwood, and Huddersfield Town. Mike Wilson, Derby MND Foundation event lead, said: "We've been trying to emulate the hard work that Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield and Doddie Weir have done in rugby, and to get football to recognise MND in the same way — and to support one of their own in Stephen." He added: "The support we've had in the last two years has been fantastic. We have around 230 people taking part, some walking five miles, others doing 30 or 40. "Bradford City, where Stephen had such a fantastic career, can't do enough for him. People are really starting to understand just how horrific MND is — and right now, there's no cure and it's underfunded. We have to do more.' Stephen Darby, who was diagnosed with MND in 2018 and now uses a wheelchair, remains central to the foundation's mission. Mr Wilson continued: "Stephen's still the driving force behind this,' Wilson said. 'He's still making the decisions and he's just an inspiration to us all.' Among those taking part was Gary Scott, who played for Altrincham between 2000 and 2008. He walked in memory of two former teammates lost to MND. "I played with Mark Maddox, who was at Altrincham for 10 years. He handled the illness head on — just like he played," Scott said. "There's also George Melling. It's unthinkable — two lads from one squad of 16. That's why we do things like this, so we don't forget them and so we keep pushing for a cure. "The donations are great, but raising awareness is just as important. I only know about MND because of what Mark went through." Stephen's wife, Steph Houghton, also joined the walk — completing more than 18 miles from Atherton to Altrincham with family members. "I've not sat down for the last six hours so I might be sore later," she said, 'but it's been a fantastic day. I'm very proud to be able to contribute in some way, because there are some amazing people who've done a lot for the foundation.' Steph described the support as 'overwhelming' and said it means the world to her and Stephen. "Sometimes it's hard for us to participate, but for me to do this with the rest of our family — and for Stephen to be at the finish line — is super special. We can't thank everyone enough." She added: "We're okay. I'm not going to say everything's good, because it's not. Everything changes every day — that's what this condition does. It's forever a challenge.' "We won't stop until that cure is there. We probably aren't even close, which is disappointing — but we just have to keep doing what we're doing.' So far the Grassroots Football Tour for MND have raised £25,000.
