On the final day of Kevin Sinfield's latest gruelling ultra-marathon challenge dedicated to fighting motor neurone disease (MND), he gathered his support staff to discuss the significance of teams. In sport, teams share numerous glories such as trophies, medals, money, and victories, which are enjoyed by players, coaches, and fans alike. However, a team that works to assist others or combat a disease has an even greater purpose. In the latter half of his life, after a remarkable career in rugby league, Sinfield believes he has discovered his true calling.

Steve Jobar: A Racing Connection to MND

In November this year, the popular jump jockey Steve Jobar lost his battle with MND at the age of 75. Jobar achieved great success by winning the 1980 Triumph Hurdle for David Elsworth on Heighlin. After leaving the weighing-room, he became a skilled saddler and carpenter. When his MND was diagnosed, his friends came together in support. A charity day at Newbury attended by 450 people raised nearly £200,000 for the MND Association. Jobar is not the only figure in racing with a connection to this illness; the trainer Jeremy Hindley also succumbed to it in 2013. Rob Burrow, Sinfield's Leeds Rhinos team-mate, and Stephen Darby, the footballer still living with MND, found solace in racehorse ownership.Horse racing has a remarkable record of supporting those in need. When a rider faces a tragic fall or a tragedy strikes within the sport's extended family, the sport unites like never before. The Injured Jockeys Fund serves as a beacon of support and rehabilitation, putting many more well-funded sports to shame.Perhaps some of racing's often feuding factions could take a moment to consider the power of teamwork that surrounds them. They would quickly realize the common ground that unites those working in racing. If the sport can bond so strongly to help Graham Lee, who was paralysed in a fall at Newcastle, maybe the different groups could prioritize collectivity over self-interest from time to time.

The Impact of Sinfield's Runs

During Sinfield's arduous runs around Glasgow, Belfast, Hull, from Liverpool to Wrexham, Gloucester to Bristol, and to many other distant locations, his fellow runners, cyclists, and support staff formed a tight-knit group deeply committed to raising money for MND research. This way, future generations can be spared the indignities of the disease.Never does the sport look more united than when a rider experiences a terrible fall or a tragedy strikes within the extended family. It is evident that Sinfield's self-sacrifice has had a profound impact on people with MND. This time, he ran a significant portion of the 240 miles with one leg, having sustained a bad calf injury three weeks before the start. Along the roads, these individuals are visibly and deeply affected by being part of a community and by Sinfield's dedication.

The Growth of Fundraising

What began as an effort to assist Rob Burrow through his struggle has transformed into a fundraising powerhouse aiming to eradicate one of the planet's most dreadful afflictions. MND is truly evil. It gradually takes away all human abilities one by one: movement, speech, swallowing, and breathing. Jeremy Hindley and Steve Jobar, far from the public eye, have likely endured much of this. There are likely others in racing whose stories we are not aware of. In the past, many with MND would go home and close the curtains, suffering in silence and even concealing the cause of death.Burrow, Sinfield, and the late Doddie Weir have encouraged those with MND to connect publicly and join the remarkable fundraising drive. The combined efforts of these campaigns are approaching a total of £40m raised, not far behind the £50m pledged by the last Conservative government after being shamed into action by the publicity generated by Sinfield, Weir, and many others.In Liverpool on the first day of Sinfield's seven ultras, the former Liverpool and England footballer John Barnes understood the strength of mass fundraising campaigns. He said, "You can't measure those relationships between people. That's when you've got to dig deep for each other. That's what the heart is all about."During one stop, I spoke to an NHS carer whose MND patient had passed away after seven years. The carer, Katie, ran a marathon in her honour, with a photograph of the deceased lady pinned to the back of her running vest. Even when her knee gave out during the marathon, she continued by touching the photograph on her back. There may be no trophy, prize-money, or medals for this, but it is a powerful example of teamwork.