Rob Burrow marathon in Leeds hits £1m mark with a month to go
Meanwhile, Leeds Hospitals Charity’s appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds has now raised £3.4 million of it’s new £6.8 million fundraising target
Last updated 14th Apr 2023
The inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon has passed the £1 million fundraising mark with just over one month to go until the event.
More than 12,000 runners will be taking part in the event on Sunday May 14.
It has been inspired by the challenges of former Leeds Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield in support of his friend and team-mate Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in December 2019.
On Friday, organisers Run For All said £1 million had already been raised in support of local and national charities.
The 2023 marathon is raising funds for The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal and the Leeds Hospitals Charity, as well as a host of other causes.
Sinfield said: "The support for the MND community through the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon has been fantastic.
"Through the event we are able to provide hope for a community that have been in the dark for so long.
"MND isn't incurable, it's just been underfunded, so to host a marathon in honour of my mate Rob and all those living with MND is incredible.
"We have to continue banging the drum for MND and I know that Sunday 14th May will be able to shine a fantastic light on this cruel disease. It will hopefully provide a beacon of light for all those living with and affected by MND."
Meanwhile, Leeds Hospitals Charity has now reached the halfway point in its fundraising appeal to build the £6.8 million Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in Leeds.
Since announcing the location for the centre last November as Seacroft Hospital, consultation work with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust staff, patients and their carers and wider services in the city has been extensive.
The new centre will be the first of its kind in the UK, providing world-class MND care to patients in state-of-the-art facilities that have been purpose built with accessibility in mind.
An architect and design team is expected to be appointed by summer 2023, in order to take the project onto the design and build stage.