Six 'red flag' symptoms of motor neurone disease that should never be ignored

03 June 2024 , 21:52

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Rob Burrow died at the weekend after raising millions for MND awareness (Image: Getty Images)

Friends, family and supporters of brave Rob Burrow are still reeling from his death of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) at the weekend, as people are reminded of the symptoms to look out for.

Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019, two years after hanging up his boots following rugby playing career in which he helped his club dominate the sport and win eight Super League titles. After his diagnosis, he raised nearly £20million to fight MND, building a new care centre for MND patients - and all alongside his former team-mate Kevin Sinfield.

He died on Sunday, drawing heartfelt tributes from family and those who knew him. The disease affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time and the can occur in adults at any age, but is more likely to affect those over 50. There is currently no cure, but treatments are available to help reduce its impact on daily tasks such as moving around and swallowing.

Rob with his wife Lindsey in 2023 (PA)

The NHS has urged Brits to see their GP if they're showing early signs of MND. Experiencing symptoms does not necessarily mean you have the disease, as they overlap with many other health problems. The early signs to look out for are:

• Weakness in the ankle or leg

  Hospitals run out of oxygen and mortuaries full amid NHS chaos

• Slurred speech / Difficulty swallowing

• Weak grip

• Muscle cramps and twitches

• Weight loss: your arms or leg muscles may have become thinner over time

• Difficulty stopping yourself from crying or laughing in inappropriate situations (emotional lability)

Rob recorded a poignant final message for his supporters in the weeks before his death - urging people to "be brave" and "live in the moment" and telling them "we must still dare to dream". The emotional message was played as part of a tribute to the Leeds Rhinos legend and MND campaigner .

He recorded the speech as he neared the end of his life and modest as ever insisted he was "just a lad from Yorkshire who got to live out his dream". His message also urged scientists to find a cure for MND.

Hero Rob managed to continue speaking despite having MND thanks to a eye-gaze machine which allowed him to communicate by looking at words and the computer then spoke for him. Rob used this in his final message in the BBC documentary and he said: "I hope one day we find a cure and live in a free of MND. By the time that you watch this I will no longer be here. I am just a lad from Yorkshire who got to live out his dream of playing Rugby League."

Antony Clements-Thrower