Prince William keeps promise to Rob Burrow by officially opening MND centre
The Prince of Wales officially opened a new motor neurone disease (MND) centre, telling rugby league star Rob Burrow’s children they “should be so proud of your father because he really was an incredibly brave and very special man.”
Prince William met Burrow’s three children – Macy, Maya and Jackson – his wife Lindsey and fundraising teammate Kevin Sinfield at the first purpose-built facility dedicated entirely to MND care, research and support.
The opening fulfills a promise Prince made to Burrow before he died last year.
The Rob Burrow Center for Motor Neurone Disease (MND), based in the grounds of Seacroft Hospital in Leeds, is home to Leeds Rhinos legend and consultant Dr. It was Agam Jung’s vision.
Burrow, who died at the age of 41 after a four-and-a-half-year battle with MND, devoted his final years to raising critical awareness and funding for treatment and research.
He had asked the Prince of Wales to open the center when it was built during a ceremony in January 2024 where William awarded him and Sinfield CBEs at Headingley Stadium.
Arriving on Thursday morning, Prince William thanked those gathered outside in freezing weather.
He joked that he had a late night with the Princess of Wales on Wednesday evening after attending the Royal Variety Performance in London.
When she met Burrow’s children before the official ceremony, Macy thanked him for the letter he wrote to his family, saying; “This was a great relief to all of us.”
William told him: “Not at all.
“Honestly, I’m so proud of you, you did all the hard work.”
“You should be really proud of your mom and dad.”
And he said: “You will help many people.”
The prince delivered a coffee machine to the headquarters after asking in advance if there was anything else they needed.
She left the note with the following note: “Wishing everyone a well-deserved break. I hope this brings some warmth to your day.”
Ms Burrow said: “This is a very special day for the family.
“It’s a really special day for the prince to come and open the centre.”
Ms Burrow said: “Rob asked her ‘could you come and open the centre’ and she kept her promise.
“So it is a great honor and privilege to have him here today.”
He said: “I think it shows his kindness and thoughtfulness.
“She wrote to us after we lost Rob, and it was a really heartfelt message. And it brings us so much comfort.”
Sinfield said: “I think he’s a man of his word and he’s been a huge supporter of the work we’ve done, the campaigns we’ve run, the campaigns we’ve run.”
He said: “Rob would be very proud of it (obviously). He would have loved to see it today.”
The rugby star will begin the last of his campaigns on December 1.
He said: “To be able to see this with about 10 days until we hit the road again just provides more fuel. It shows what can be created when people come together for a great cause.”
Speaking at the event, William said: “I first met the family and Kevin and Rob in a very sweaty, smelly Leeds rugby dressing room in January 2024, it has been a pleasure getting to know them and following their journey.
“And frankly, we are in one of the most incredible buildings, funded and supported by a number of people who have gone above and beyond to finally put MND on the map.”
He said: “I am honored to be here today and to see the system up and running in just over a year.
“This has been an incredible fundraising effort by a team of many people, none more so than Kevin.
“His knees and hips took a hit, but he raised over 40 percent of this fundraising total, which is incredible. I can’t take credit enough for the people who put this together.”
Addressing the family, William said: “I think Rob’s legacy will live on.
“And you should be so proud of your father because he was truly an incredibly brave and very special man.
“And this is a world-leading center that will save many lives.
“You will all be so proud of this. And everyone will be so grateful that you included us in your family life and understood what you manage together.”
As the royal visitor unveiled a plaque to mark the opening, Burrow’s son Jackson rang the bell heralding all of Sinfield’s epic fundraising challenges.
The center was designed around Burrow’s commitment to creating a place that treats patients as people, not conditions, and places them and their families at its center.
It is the first purpose-built center in the UK dedicated entirely to MND care, research, education and holistic support, and those behind it hope it will be followed by similar units across the country.
The center was made possible thanks to a £6.8 million fundraising campaign run by Leeds Hospitals Charity and supported by Burrow’s friend Sinfield, and was completed less than 18 months after Burrow’s death.
