Rob Burrow's motor neurone disease journey having 'phenomenal effect' on people, says wife Lindsey
Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants will face each other in the MND Awareness game this Friday; Rob Burrow will be at the game with his family; Build-up will take place on Sky Sports Arena from 7.30pm, with kick-off at 8pm
Friday 23 June 2023 10:11, UK
Lindsey Burrow has described the impact of her husband Rob Burrow's journey with motor neurone disease (MND) as "phenomenal".
Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019, just two years after retiring from a 17-year rugby league career.
Leeds Rhinos take on Huddersfield Giants this Friday in their annual MND awareness game - live on Sky Sports - where Burrow and his family will be guests of honour.
The Rhinos will wear their unique Doddie Weir kits and play with a special MND Association match ball in a bid to raise money.
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"A typical day would be getting kids up, getting Rob up, getting him ready - sort out his tablets, his medication and getting him dressed," Lindsey Burrow told Sky Sports.
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"Then it will be the school run, squeeze in a run - life is just so busy. My priorities are Rob and the kids and I'm making sure they are happy and looked after - that makes me happy ultimately.
"There has been so much in terms of the fund raising and awareness. It's quite unbelievable, phenomenal the effect it has had and how we have managed to reach out to so many people and raise that awareness has been incredible.
"I've been blown away. We are just an ordinary working-class family, so to suddenly have that awareness and make that difference, to give people hope, is really inspiring and motivates us to continue to bang that drum."
On Friday, 770 school children from 40 different schools will perform a dance led by Burrow's daughters Maya and Macy.
Burrow won eight Super League titles in an illustrious playing career with Leeds Rhinos.
"Headingly is an unbelievable venue at the best of times, but always obviously for MND, and such a special person that we all love, in Rob, it's going to be a fantastic occasion," said Burrow's long-time former team-mate Danny McGuire.
"A local derby as well and the Rhinos need a win, Huddersfield, probably not in the best form as well. So on the field, it's going to be a really interesting game but off the field it's such a special fixture."
Another of Burrow's close friends and former team-mate Jamie Jones-Buchanan added: "I've seen Rob three times in the last four days and each time he's put a smile on my face. The visual interaction has been outstanding.
"I was with him at an MND dinner on Saturday night and then Sunday I did the 10km, Rob went around there. It turned into a bit of a destruction derby - they had a bit of fun and had a few collisions!
"On Tuesday, I saw Rob drop the kids off and, again, just had some conversations where you are chatting and reminiscing about old times, just bring up some old stories and you can tell from those visual cues that he's very much engaged. So he's in a good place in that regard."
