The Rob Burrow Center for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) has officially opened, hailed as a “transformative moment in care” for all those affected by the disease.
Leeds Seacroft Hospital Center was the dream of the late rugby league star Rob Burrow and his consultant Dr Agam Jung and is the first purpose-built center in the UK dedicated entirely to Ministry of Defense care, research, education and overall support.
The centre, which opens on Monday, has been made possible thanks to a £6.8m fundraising campaign led by Leeds Hospitals Charity and supported by Burrow’s friend and former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Kevin Sinfield.
To date, more than 17,000 donors have contributed to the centre, and patients, families, clinical experts and the wider Department of Defense community have all been involved in its design.
Construction on the building was completed less than 18 months after Burrow’s death in June 2024.
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Kevin Sinfield has described the moment he crossed the finish line of the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon with the former professional rugby league player as ‘really, really special’.
Dr Jung, consultant neurologist and center director at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said it was born out of Burrow’s determination to create a place that treated patients as people rather than conditions.
He said: “It’s been five years since the idea to build this center was conceived and it is a legacy of Rob’s strength, the support of his family and the compassion of the whole community.
“I am truly grateful to the many people who worked together to make my dream a reality.
“I was delighted when Rob fully embraced the Leeds Defense Service ethos of ‘living in the moment’.
“He wanted to leave a legacy for people to do that, and that resonated throughout the Department of Defense community.
“All of us working at this amazing new center will be focused on providing the best care and community to enable our families and patients to do so.”
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John Innes sang a special performance of Nessun Dorma to pay tribute to former Leeds player Burrow ahead of the Rhinos’ match against Wakefield Trinity at Headingley.
Esther Wakeman, chief executive of Leeds Hospitals Charity, said: “When we launched our fundraising drive with Dr Chung and the Burrow family in September 2021, we could never have imagined the outpouring of support it would generate from across the country.
“In just three years we were able to reach our target of £6.8m.
“We’d like to say a special thank you to Kevin Sinfield for his heroic fundraising efforts in honor of his friendship with Rob. He steps forward again this year with his latest challenge.
“He was an inspiration to so many people.”
Sally Hughes, director of services and partnerships at the Ministry of Defense Association, said the center “represents a transformational moment in care for Ministry of Defense patients across Leeds and West Yorkshire”.
She said: “This purpose-built facility, inspired by our late benefactor, will provide an environment of support and compassion for all those affected by MND – those with the diagnosis and their families, which is crucial when facing a life-changing disease.”
Burrow died at the age of 41 after fighting the Pentagon for four and a half years.
The day his death was announced, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Pentagon center was held, and he said his family would be “looking down and smiling.”
