5 April 2022 Celebrity
Patron of the MND Association and former rugby league player Rob Burrow was awarded his MBE from HRH The Princess Royal at Windsor Castle on Tuesday 5 April.
Rob was recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours list in 2021 for ‘services to rugby and motor neurone disease (MND) awareness during Covid-19’.
He was accompanied by his wife Lindsey to receive the honour.
Sally Light, Chief Executive of the MND Association, said:
“We are thrilled that Rob has received this well-deserved MBE. Since his diagnosis Rob has inspired thousands of people, both in and out of the ruby league community, to raise money and invaluable awareness of motor neurone disease. Rob has selflessly chosen to share his journey with MND with the world which has galvanised people into doing whatever they can to help find a cure for this brutal disease. We feel incredibly proud to have Rob as a Patron of the MND Association and I’d like to say a huge congratulations to Rob and his family on this special day.”
Speaking to the Press Association, Rob Burrow MBE said:
“I’m shocked to be accepting the MBE award, it’s not something that was on the list of things that I wanted to achieve but I am absolutely honoured to receive this award.
“Any excuse to see my wife get dressed up in the dresses she deserves to be, I hope she enjoys the occasion like me.
“I’ve always got a kick out of giving close ones that experience like no other. It gives my Lindsey escapism from a normal day-to-day management of looking after me.
“I’m so proud to receive this because of my rugby and the awareness for MND, this most importantly means that MND continues to be talked about and keeping it in the public (eye).
“I’m blown away by the response to me getting the disease and I hope they know – it’s all for you.”