The teammates will run the Rob Burrow Marathon for the James Burke Foundation

By Damon Cooper

The chairman and club secretary of the University of Leeds Men’s Rugby League have already raised £710 for a mental health organization in Wortley ahead of Sunday’s Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon.

The The James Burke Foundation was established in 2018 by Sharon Burke in memory of her son James who was a student at the University of Leeds and a player for the Leeds University Men’s Rugby League club but sadly took his own life in 2017.

“There are no words to describe what this means,” Sharon Burke said.

Sharon previously worked with Geoff Burrow, Rob’s father, both of whom saw their son’s former teammates struggle through adversity to battle MND and poor mental health.

Donations range from Bramley-born Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who raised funds by dancing in a ‘Strict’ competition at Blackpool Tower Ballroom, to Halifax Panthers player and Jamaican international James Woodburn-Hall, who paid tribute emotional to his former teammate.

The 2024 Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon is in aid of the Rob Burrow Center for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal as well as the MND Association, after the former Leeds Rhinos player was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in December 2019.

Many participants will have their own reasons for taking part to raise money for a charity of their choice or one of the partner charities.

You can donate to the James Burke Foundation here.