The widow of rugby league star Rob Burrow is to run the London Marathon in what she described as a “testament to his enduring legacy”.
Lindsey Burrow will run the 26.2 mile course in April as a tribute to her husband who died in June 2024, five years after his diagnosis with motor neurone disease.
Also among the runners will be the daughter of BBC broadcaster Bill Turnbull, who died in 2022 after suffering from prostate cancer.
Flora Turnbull and 42-year-old Mrs Burrow will both be raising money for charity and hoping to help the tens of thousands of runners beat last year’s marathon fundraising record of £73.5 million.
Mrs Burrow, who will be running alongside brother Mark, said running the marathon is “not just a physical challenge; it’s a deeply personal journey of love, loss, and resilience”.
“Each mile I run is a testament to his enduring legacy,” she added.
She will be raising money for the Leeds Hospitals Charity and Leeds Rhinos Foundation, the official charity of Burrow’s former club.
Her husband was diagnosed just two years after retiring from a 17-year career for the Leeds Rhinos, where he won 13 trophies including eight Super League titles.
He helped raise more than £15 million for MND charities and was made a CBE by the Prince of Wales in 2024, five months before he died.
Ms Turnbull will be raising money for Prostate Cancer UK in her father’s memory.
The 33-year-old said: “There is still work to be done. That’s why I signed up to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. I want to ensure that everyone can keep their dads, partners, brothers, sons, granddads, uncles, and friends around as long as possible.”
Her father’s diagnosis was made public in 2018, leading to a spike in diagnoses across the UK. This was labelled by Prostate Cancer UK as the “Fry-Turnball effect” referring also to Sir Stephen Fry, who was diagnosed in the same year.
A year after Turnbull died in August 2022 aged 66, the number of prostate cancer referrals within the NHS reached a record high.
The TCS London Marathon takes place on April 27.
