RFL Chief Executive Tony Sutton has expressed his thanks to Rugby League Cares and Kevin Sinfield OBE for their efforts in raising awareness of the importance of brain health in Rugby League.
Sinfield, the former Leeds Rhinos and England captain, is a trustee of RL Cares and was guest of honour at a fundraising dinner for the charity’s recently-established Brain Health Fund at the AMT Headingley Stadium last week.
The Fund has been set up to help deliver education programmes and information sharing with current players to help them understand key issues around brain health and make informed decisions should they suffer a head injury.
The fund also plans to support players, and their families, in later life if they are diagnosed with neurological conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Sutton was among 300 guests at the dinner which was also attended by a host of high-profile figures from the sport, including RL Hall of Fame inductees Ellery Hanley and Malcolm Reilly. Rob Burrow, whose response to an MND diagnosis continues to inspire, was also in attendance, alongside former Leeds team-mates Gareth Ellis and Keith Senior, the current Rhinos and England centre Amy Hardcastle, former internationals including Graham Steadman, Alan Smith, Paul Dixon, Karl Fairbank, Jon Wilkin and Danika Priim, and media representatives Jenna Brooks and Eddie Hemmings.
“Rugby League Cares is doing some outstanding work around brain health and are to be congratulated on the success of last week’s fundraising dinner,” said Sutton.
“It was a very special evening and I would like to offer my personal thanks to the charity and to Kevin Sinfield for putting together such a fantastic occasion.”
The dinner generated a significant sum for the RL Cares Brain Health Fund, which has now raised over £92,000 since it was established in September.
Sutton also chairs the Brain Health Sub-Committee set up by the RFL earlier this year as the sport responds to developments in medical and scientific knowledge.
RL Cares is an independent charity whose role includes delivering player welfare and wellbeing support to professional and semi-professional players. The Brain Health Fund is entirely reliant on donations and proceeds from fundraising events: to make a donation please click here.
