William met Burrow’s three children – Macy, Maya and Jackson – his wife Lindsey, and his fundraising team-mate Kevin Sinfield at the first purpose-built centre dedicated entirely to MND care, research and support – fulfilling a promise he made to him before he died last year.
The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) was the dream of the Leeds Rhinos star and his consultant Dr Agam Jung, who also talked to William at the facility in Leeds which provides a new “one-stop-shop” for patients and their families.
Lindsey Burrow and her children at the opening of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (Danny Lawson/PA)
William made Burrow a CBE at the Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium in January 2024, along with Sinfield, and the father-of-three asked the Prince of Wales then if he would open the centre when it was built.
Burrow died five months later, at the age of 41, following a four-and-a-half-year battle with MND during which he devoted himself to raising awareness and money for treatment and research.
William arrived at the centre, which is in the grounds of Seacroft Hospital in Leeds, on Thursday morning, thanking everyone for waiting outside in the freezing weather.
The Prince of Wales sits next to Maya, Rob Burrow’s daughter, during his visit (Temilade Adelaja/PA)
He joked that he had had a late night after attending the Royal Variety Performance in London on Wednesday evening with the Princess of Wales.
When he met Burrow’s children before the formal ceremony, Macy thanked him for writing to her family, saying; “It gave us all a lot of comfort.”
William told her: “Not at all.
“Honestly, I’m so proud of you guys. You’ve done all the hard work.
“You should be really proud of your mum and dad.”
And he said: “You’re going to help a lot of people.”
The prince gave the centre a coffee machine, after asking beforehand if there was anything else they needed.
He left it with a note which read: “Wishing everyone a well deserved moment of pause. I hope this brings a little warmth to your day.”
Mrs Burrow said: “It such a special day for the family.
“To have the prince come and open the centre is a really special day.”
The Prince of Wales was welcomed by rugby union coach Kevin Sinfield, as he arrives to officially open the centre at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds (Temilade Adelaja/PA)
Mrs Burrow said: “Rob asked him ‘would you come and open the centre’, and he’s kept his word.
“So to have him here today is a huge honour and privilege.”
She said: “I think it just shows his kindness and consideration.
“He wrote to us after we lost Rob and it was a really heartfelt message. And that’s something we take a lot of comfort from.”
Sinfield said: “I think he’s a man of his word and he’s been a massive supporter of the work we’ve done, the running we’ve done, the campaigning we’ve done.”
He said: “Rob would have been so proud of it (the centre). He would’ve loved to have seen it today.”
The rugby star will begin the latest of his challenges on December 1.
He said: “To get to see this when we’re about 10 days before we go again, just adds more fuel. It shows what can be created when people come together for a great cause.”
Speaking at the event, William said: “Having met the family and Kevin and Rob in January 2024 for the first time in a very sweaty, smelly Leeds rugby changing room it’s been my pleasure to get to know them and follow their journey.
“And, frankly, we’re stood in one of the most incredible buildings, that’s been fundraised and supported by a few individuals who’ve gone above and beyond to make MND finally on the map.”
The Prince of Wales with Dr Agam Jung, as he meets clinical researchers in the tech room at the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (Temilade Adelaja/PA)
He said: “I’m honoured to be here today and see it up and running in just over a year.
“An incredible fundraising effort by a huge team of people has gone into this. None more so than Kevin.
“His knees and his hips have taken a battering but he’s raised over 40% of this fundraising total, which is incredible. I just can’t commend enough people who have put this together.”
The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds (Danny Lawson/PA)
Addressing the family, William said: “I think Rob’s legacy will live on.
“And you guys should be so proud of your father because he really was an incredibly brave and very special man.
“And this is a world-leading centre that’s going to save a lot of lives.
“For that you shall all be very proud. And everyone is very grateful for letting us in on your family life and understanding what you’ve been managing together.”
A painting of Rob Burrow being embraced by Kevin Sinfield at the opening of the centre (Danny Lawson/PA)
Burrow’s son Jackson rang the bell that has heralded all of Sinfield’s epic fundraising challenges, as the royal visitor unveiled a plaque to mark the opening.
The centre has been designed around Burrow’s determination to create a place that treats patients as people, not conditions, and places them and their families at its heart.
Rob Burrow died in 2024, four years after his diagnosis of motor neurone disease (Danny Lawson/PA)
It is the first purpose-built centre dedicated entirely to MND care, research, education and holistic support in the UK, and those behind it hope it will be followed by similar units around the country.
The centre been made possible thanks to a £6.8 million fundraising campaign, led by Leeds Hospitals Charity and supported by Burrow’s friend Sinfield, and has been completed less than 18 months after Burrow’s death.