Kevin Sinfield is expected to receive a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours list after years of extraordinary fundraising for motor neurone disease charities in memory of his close friend and former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow. Sinfield, 45, has raised more than £11 million for MND causes through a series of endurance challenges that have captured public attention and highlighted the impact of the condition on players and families.
Sinfield and Burrow’s friendship became one of rugby league’s most moving stories. Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019 and died in June 2024, aged 41, after living with the disease for four and a half years. Throughout that period, Sinfield remained a constant supporter, helping raise awareness and money for research, care and specialist services. One of the most memorable moments came at the 2023 Leeds Marathon, when Sinfield carried Burrow over the finish line after pushing him around the course in a specially adapted wheelchair.
The pair had already been recognised for their efforts, both receiving CBEs in the 2023 New Year Honours list, with Prince William surprising them with their awards at Headingley Stadium. Their bond, and the dignity with which Burrow faced his illness, resonated far beyond sport and helped drive national support for MND charities.
Sinfield’s fundraising has included long-distance running challenges and ultra-endurance events designed to push physical limits while bringing attention to the disease. His latest and final challenge, called “7 in 7: The Grand Finale,” will see him run an ultramarathon a day for seven days between Hull and Manchester, taking in all 12 English Super League grounds. He plans to run a mile each day alongside people affected by MND as part of the event.
His work has helped support a broader national campaign to improve MND care and research. The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds opened last year as the first purpose-built facility of its kind, combining treatment support with research ambitions. During the opening, Prince William praised Burrow’s courage and described the centre as a world-leading facility that would help save lives.
MND is a life-shortening neurological condition that affects nerves controlling muscle movement. There is currently no cure, and treatment focuses on managing symptoms and supporting patients and families. The condition has affected other former rugby players too, including Scotland international Doddie Weir, who died in 2022, and former England captain Lewis Moody, who revealed his diagnosis last year.
Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle recently said Sinfield should be made “Sir Kevin Sinfield,” reflecting growing public and political calls for formal recognition. The final decision will be confirmed when the King’s Birthday Honours list is published this weekend. Sinfield has said he could not have done the work without the wider team supporting him and that the mission remains focused on finding a cure.
