Rob Burrow: Leeds Rhinos star visits site of new motor neurone disease centre which will be given his name

And yesterday Mr Burrow and his wife Lindsey visited Seacroft Hospital as demolition began to clear space for a new centre to treat the disease.

The centre will be built once a £5m funding target has been reached – an effort that has seen Mr Burrow’s former teammate Kevin Sinfield recently complete a fundraising Ultra 7 in 7 (300 mile) challenge.

Mrs Burrow said the vision for the centre was "somewhere that's not like a hospital setting, it's quite home from home like" adding the family wanted it to be child-friendly and relaxing.

Dr Agam Jung, Consultant Neurologist who leads the MND team at Seacroft Hospital said: “This is an exciting moment. We’ve been speaking to our patients and working closely with the MND care team to think about the vision for what we need from a new MND centre and how it will benefit those who are touched by the service in the region.

“Seacroft is where we currently run our clinic and our patients are familiar with it, it’s also close to green spaces and is easily accessible by the main roads.

“The ethos of the Leeds MND Service of enabling MND patients to ‘live in the now’ will be reflected in the build.

"The vision is to provide hope and optimism and set standards of MND Care delivery nationally.”

The work includes the demolition of the Old Matron’s House, a former nurse’s accommodation, supported by specialist ecological advisors. Materials from the demolition will be recycled where possible, the Leeds Hospitals Charity said.

A shortlist of architechts who wish to design the new centre is set to be announced in the new year.