Kevin Sinfield insists his OBE for motor neurone disease fundraising is a team award, saying: “Ultimately we were all just trying to help a mate.”
Sinfield’s friend and former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the degenerative, life-limiting condition in December 2019.
Sinfield, 40, set out last December to run seven marathons in seven days amid the coronavirus pandemic. The ‘7 in 7’ challenge – which referenced Burrow’s old shirt number at Leeds – initially hoped to raise £77,777 but ultimately generated an incredible £2.2million.
Further funds were raised by those inspired to emulate Sinfield, while medical research charity LifeArc agreed last month to match the £500,000 of the money Sinfield raised which had been earmarked for research.
Sinfield, who has talked about doing a walk over a “crazy distance” later this year to raise even more money, said: “(The OBE) is for all those people who have given a little bit of themselves to helping Rob and making his journey a little easier.
“Not by any stretch do I feel it’s about me, because it isn’t. It’s about everybody who has played a small part.
“I feel a bit selfish on the back of the 7 in 7, because I never thought that would give me that self-satisfaction and warm glow that I got. Ultimately we’re all just trying to help a mate, but the support was immense.
“The money we were able to generate and having a say in how that was spent has been wonderful. It’s certainly the greatest thing I’ve been a part of.”
Sally Light, the chief executive of the MND Association, paid tribute to Sinfield’s phenomenal efforts.
“I have personally worked with Kevin over the last 18 months as he has raised funds and awareness for the association, inspired by his long-standing friendship with Rob Burrow, who is now living with MND,” Light told the PA news agency.
“I have found him to be a very generous and humble man, who simply wants to support people living with this brutal disease.
“His fundraising, awareness raising and friendship with Rob have captured the heart of the nation and all of us in the MND community are thrilled to see such a remarkable show of strength, courage and ultimately friendship recognised in this way.”
Sinfield, who received an MBE in 2014, was awarded the OBE for his charitable efforts but also to mark an incredible career in sport which has earned him the nickname ‘Sir Kev’.
He won seven Super League titles and two Challenge Cups with the Rhinos during his playing days, and has been the club’s director of rugby for the last three years.
Asked when he learned he was getting an OBE, he said: “I found out a couple of weeks ago. It was an email this time – I thought it was a bit of a joke.
“But it’s really nice and it’s a big honour for everybody involved in any fundraising for the MND Association over the last 18 months.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here