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Honorary Graduate Kevin Sinfield OBE to embark on Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge for MND
Rugby League legend Kevin Sinfield OBE will lead a team on his toughest challenge yet this November in the third and final leg of his epic challenges for Motor Neurone Disease.
His epic challenges in 2020 and 2021 have already raised more than £5 million but now Kevin is set to go even further in 2022 on a week long challenge that will celebrate the awareness raised by three inspirational sporting characters who have done so much to raise the profile of those impacted by the season.
Starting on Sunday 13th November, Kevin will run more than 60km per day for seven days from Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh to Old Trafford in Manchester in his Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge.
Inspired by fellow Honorary Graduate and former Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow MBE, as well as former rugby union player Doddie Weir, former footballer Stephen Darby and other people living with MND, Kevin will have an initial aim is to raise £777,777.
The Ultra 7 in 7 challenge will support five charities which support people affected by MND and invest in research to bring us closer to effective treatments and a cure for the disease.
The main beneficiaries will be the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity’s appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds. There will also be donations to MND Scotland, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation plus support for the 4ED campaign to support former Gloucester and Leicester Rugby Union player Ed Slater, who was recently diagnosed with MND.
The challenge will build to an incredible finish when Kevin enters the field at Old Trafford at half time in the Mens Rugby League World Cup Final on Saturday 19 November to complete his challenge having visited Melrose, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, York, Leeds and Bradford over the previous six days in his route south.
The routes for the ultra marathons have been devised by the Carnegie School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University. The School has supported Kevin’s two previous fundraising challenges, the 7 in 7 and Extra Mile, to raise awareness of and funds for MND. Sinfield will again be supported by a team of Leeds Beckett sports scientists led by Professor Ben Jones from the Carnegie School of Sport.
Commenting on his next challenge, Kevin Sinfield said, “Undoubtedly this will be the toughest challenge yet. We have tried to combine elements of our two previous events to create the Ultra 7 in 7. People living with MND have no choice but to live with their condition every day and they are inspiration for all of us taking part in the challenge. There has been some exciting news in recent days about current drug trials and we can all feel that a breakthrough is close. MND is not incurable it has just been underfunded and I have belief that by raising funds we can give the scientists and researchers the best possible opportunity to find that cure. We also need to help those living with MND, to give them hope and love so they know we are with them.”
Rob Burrow MBE added, “I’ve said it many times before, everyone should have a friend like Kevin. I know he would be the first to share the spotlight with all the team who are making this possible, just as he did as my captain but his leadership and inspiration is at the heart of every challenge. I am sure this will be tough and I can’t wait to see Kevin and the guys along the way to cheer them on. People have already been so generous over the last two years and, as a patron of the MND Association, I would like to say a massive thank you, your support has made the world of difference to so many people. Go safe Kev and please support them as much as you can.”
Peter Mackreth, Dean of the Carnegie School of Sport, said “As a three-time graduate of our university we are very proud of Kevin’s many accomplishments, as a player, a coach, and now through his work to raise awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease. Our sporting community is founded on the altruistic actions of so many people, and Kevin is a true role model for everyone, supporting his good friend, Rob burrow and the broader MND community. We’re delighted to be able to play a small part in supporting such a worthy cause.”
You can donate to Kevin’s Ultra 7 in 7 challenge online.