Kevin Sinfield’s MND Challenge Receives Widespread Support

A former England rugby league player has commenced the second of his planned seven ultramarathons, an endeavor aimed at collecting donations for motor neurone disease (MND) charities. Kevin Sinfield, 44, is scheduled to cover a distance exceeding 60km (37 miles) on Monday, traveling between Gloucester’s Kingsholm Stadium and Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol. This leg is part of a broader week-long initiative, which involves running 370km (230 miles) over seven days across the United Kingdom, following the passing of his former teammate Rob Burrow. Upon his departure, Sinfield expressed, “To see that support on the road for MND families across the country is really special.” He further remarked, “We take energy from it and we can’t thank people enough.” This ‘7 in 7’ challenge marks his fourth consecutive annual event dedicated to raising funds for MND charities, having already accumulated nearly £10m through prior fundraising efforts. Sinfield shared a close friendship and was a former teammate of the late Mr. Burrow, who died at 41 in June, having been diagnosed with MND in 2019. Furthermore, Sinfield has been a significant advocate for Gloucester Rugby’s 4Ed charity, which supports former player Ed Slater, 36, who was compelled to retire in 2022 after receiving his own diagnosis of the disease. Mr. Sinfield initiated this year’s fundraising campaign at Liverpool’s annual Santa Dash on Sunday, where he was joined by 8,000 other participants. Ann Lloyd, a resident of Highnam, near Gloucester, was present at the starting line this morning to offer her encouragement to Mr. Sinfield, describing him as “absolutely amazing.” Ms. Lloyd informed BBC Radio Gloucestershire that her sister had also been diagnosed with the condition, stating, “It’s a devastating and cruel disease and we really need to find a cure, so all the work promoting it – and raising money along the way – is extremely important.” The planned stops for Mr. Sinfield along his route include Highfield Garden World at Whitminster, Slimbridge AFC, the Memorial Stadium in Horfield, which is home to Bristol Rovers FC, and ultimately Ashton Gate, where Bristol City and Bristol Bears play their home matches. Mr. Sinfield commented that the backing provided by Gloucester Rugby to the MND community “is really special.” In addition to his “great friendship” with Ed Slater, Sinfield cited former professional footballer Marcus Stewart and former Gloucestershire and England cricketer Syd Lawrence—both of whom have been diagnosed with the disease—as sources of inspiration. Mr. Sinfield added, “The fact we get to share this special day with Syd and spend some time with him, and for him to see the love and support that is out there for the MND community, is really what I’m looking forward to watching.”