Our accessibility reporter Dan has written an review of a documentary about a rugby league player who’s been diagnosed with MND.
This was an emotional documentary about Leeds Rhinos rugby league legend Rob Burrow who got diagnosed with MND (Motor Neurone Disease) in December 2019.
The documentary was made with help from BBC Breakfast and BBC Sport and involved some of Rob’s ex-team mates and friends.
The documentary was about MND and how Rob Burrow is showing the same spirit in his fight against the disease, as he showed on the rugby pitch.
The purpose of the documentary was that it allowed Rob Burrow to show people how his life has been affected by MND and how it’s affecting his family and how the MND has took over his voice, movement and other things.
Prior to watching this documentary, I hadn’t really known about MND or how it affects people, however I did know that Rob Burrow had been diagnosed with it.
The summary of the documentary was it was really sad to see how MND has took over Rob Burrow’s life, but he has a positive mindset and wants to fight it.
The camera work was brilliant, as the cameras were in perfect places for the places it was filmed. The interviews were insightful, and emotional as well, particularly the ones with his wife and his parents.
My personal comments are: It was a hard watch, an emotional watch but it also had uplifting moments as well and I would recommend it even if you’re not a rugby fan as it gives an insight into MND.
Who was involved
Rob Burrow, his wife Lindsay, Barrie McDermott (ex Leeds Rhinos player), Rob’s parents Geoff and Irene, Kevin Sinfield (ex Rhinos player), the doctors at the hospital and BBC Breakfast sports reporter Sally Nugent.
What the documentary was about
This was an emotional documentary about Leeds Rhinos rugby league legend Rob Burrow who got diagnosed with MND (Motor Neurone Disease) in December 2019.
It also allowed Rob Burrow to show people how his life has been affected by MND and how it’s affecting his family and how the MND has took over his voice, movement and other things.
Where the documentary was filmed
The documentary was filmed in different places: The first place was Rob’s house, his garden, on a bench, near a lake, Seacroft Hospital, Yorkshire Coast, caravan park and training pitch near Featherstone Rovers ground.
When the documentary was filmed
Again it was filmed at different times of the year: Â April 2020, August 2020, September 2020.
How the documentary was filmed
The documentary was structured in a simple way, as it took you through the stages of Rob Burrow’s year since he got the diagnosis, even though it was filmed at different places, the camerawork made it better as they were weren’t too close to the people involved, but just far enough away for people to see them.
The style was bright coloured, but this was probably because it was being filmed in different places.
It felt upbeat in a few places for example when it showed you Rob getting married.
There was a quote about halfway through that was powerful to me, it was from Rob and he said “The rugby prepared me, but nothing like this.  But I’m good!”.   That showed me that he may have this cruel disease, but he’s as good as he can in himself.
If you want to watch is emotional documentary, you can search: Rob Burrow: My year with MND on BBC IPlayer and it should come up. It’s only thirty minutes long, but it’s thirty minutes that’ s important.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000nggd/rob-burrow-my-year-with-mnd
