Ex-rugby league star Rob Burrow receives MND donation of £77,777

A £77,777 donation has been presented to Rob Burrow to help him live with motor neurone disease (MND).

The former rugby league star was diagnosed with the disease in 2019 and has gone on to raise awareness of the condition.

The money, given at a racing event in Doncaster on Wednesday, is to go towards helping Burrow and his family.

"Rob and I are over the moon by this generous donation," Burrow's wife Lindsey said.

The pair were at Doncaster Racecourse to watch a horse, named after the former scrum-half, compete.

Charity horse Beep Beep Burrow, with its name inspired by the Roadrunner cartoon because of its speed and agility, is paid for by the Good Racing Company, with profits also going towards MND charities.

The £77,777 donation from the company - a reference to the player's former shirt number of seven while playing for Leeds Rhinos - is to go to the The Rob Burrow 7 Discretionary Trust - designed to improve his family's quality of life.

"At the moment, there's no treatment for MND, so Rob does pay privately for some drugs that are not licenced," Lindsey said.

"[The donation will] go towards costing those, plus any adaptations which we need in terms of adaptations to the house and care costs."

Phil Hawthorne, founder of the Good Racing Company, said: "I'm thrilled to be making this donation. Rob and Lindsey Burrow never cease to inspire the nation, and I hope this money goes some way to making life easier for them."

Lindsey added: "Rob's grandad was a big racing fan and Rob used to like spending time with his grandad and picking out horses, so I think it's something that Rob's grown up with and I know your grandad would be delighted to be here today, wouldn't he Rob?"

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