Rob Burrow was a rugby league star who passed away at 41 years of age after a gallant battle with motor neurone disease. Burrow, who spent his entire distinguished career at Leeds Rhinos, was diagnosed with MND in December 2019. Despite his diagnosis, Burrow spent the remaining years of his life raising awareness and funds for MND, inspiring many with his resilience and determination.
Leeds Rhinos confirmed Burrow's passing in a heartfelt statement: \"It is with deep sadness that the club can confirm that former player Rob Burrow CBE has passed away, aged 41. Rob inspired the entire country with his brave battle against motor neurone disease since his diagnosis in December 2019. He passed away peacefully at Pinderfield's Hospital near his home, surrounded by his loving family after becoming ill earlier this week.\"
Burrow had a decorated career with Leeds Rhinos, including eight Super League titles, and represented England and Great Britain on several occasions. But it would be his work in raising awareness for MND that arguably overshadowed all of them. He was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List for his work.
Understanding Motor Neurone Diseases
Motor neurone diseases are a group of disorders affecting the nerves that control voluntary muscle activity, such as walking, talking, and swallowing. These nerves, called motor neurons, become damaged and eventually die, resulting in muscle weakness and wasting. The most popular type of MND is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
What Are Motor Neurons?
Motor neurons are special nerve cells that carry signals from the brain to muscles, thereby allowing movement. There are two types of motor neurons as per Dr Pawan Ojha, Director of Neurology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi:
- The upper motor neurons, arising from the brain, transmit signals down to the spinal cord.
- The lower motor neurons are located in the spinal cord and send signals to the muscles.
When these cells get damaged, the brain's connectivity to the muscles is disrupted, leading to wasting away and loss of function in the muscle.
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Types of Motor Neurone Diseases
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
ALS is a disease that affects both upper and lower motor neurons. Symptoms include weakening and tightening of the muscles, twitching of the muscles, which makes it hard for an individual to walk, talk, swallow, and even breathe. It is mostly sporadic, but 5% to 10% are inherited. The average duration of living after diagnosis is 3 to 5 years, although some people live longer.
Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS)
PLS is a disease that affects only the upper motor neurons. It is characterized by weakness and stiffness progressing in the legs and arms, leading to problems in coordination and slow, slurred speech. Unlike ALS, it is slow and not fatal.
Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP)
This is a variant of ALS that affects the motor neurons in the brain stem. It affects the chewing, swallowing, and speaking muscles. It also affects the emotional outbursts into laughter and crying.
Kennedy's Disease
This is a disease caused by inheriting a genetically mutated gene, which affects the male gender. It leads to muscle weakening and cramping, mainly in the face, arms, and legs, and can also affect the speech and swallowing of fluids. It also leads to endocrine disorders, such as breasts and sterility.
Progressive Muscular Atrophy
This is a rare type of MND, which affects the lower motor neurons and leads to weakening and cramping of the muscles, especially in the hands and spreads. In some instances, it develops into ALS.
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Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
This is an inherited disease caused by a fault in the SMN1 gene that leads to the death of motor neuron cells. There are several types:
- Type 1: Werdnig-Hoffmann disease—onset is at about 6 months of age. The infant or toddler will suffer with muscle weakness, and respiratory complications usually result in death before age 2.
- Type 2: Onset is between 6 and 12 months of age, where most children are unable to achieve sitting or standing or walking without support.
- Type 3: Kugelberg-Welander disease—onset is between 2 and 17 years of age. The child might never be able to walk or stand and may suffer from scoliosis.
- Type 4: Onset is after 30 years of age, where weakness of muscles and respiratory complications are mostly confined to the upper limbs.
Living with Motor Neurone Disease
Though there is no cure for these diseases, treatment and therapies can alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life. It may include medication to reduce muscle cramps and stiffness, physiotherapy to keep the muscles as active as possible, and speech therapy to improve communication.
Bottomline
Rob Burrow's fight against MND made many people really know about this condition and the urgent need for further research and support for the patients. His legacy will continue to inspire efforts to find better treatments and, hopefully, a cure for motor neurone diseases.