'Every time I run, my mum is on my shoulder'

A woman is participating in a run to honour her mother, who died from Motor Neurone Disease (MND) ten years ago.

Emma Smith, from Guilsbrorough in Northamptonshire, lost her mother, Janet, to the disease in 2014 and has been running for the MND Association ever since.

Former rugby league player and charity fundraiser Kevin Sinfield is running 50km (31 miles) a day for seven days to raise money for six MND charities.

Ms Smith is running alongside him for his penultimate day, starting at Francis Crick House in Moulton Park on Friday morning and ending in Leicester.

"My mum was a wonderful mother and friend, I'm running because we really want to see a cure to help those people suffering with MND," she said.

Sinfield will complete half the route wearing the black, green, and gold of Northampton Saints before switching to the green, red, and white of Leicester Tigers, paying tribute to both East Midlands rugby clubs.

The former Leeds Rhinos player is running in memory of his late friend and teammate, Rob Burrow, who passed away from MND in June.

Reflecting on her personal connection to the cause, Ms Smith said: "The journey [of my mum's deterioration] was painful to watch, and it left a gaping hole in our family when she left us.

"I wanted to do something to make sure no one else goes through the same."

Ms Smith added: "I wanted to do the extra mile and every time I run, my mum's on my shoulder.

"It's going to be positive and it's going to be emotional. Mum would be proud of everything we're doing."

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