Rob Burrow: Lindsey Burrow shines a light on carers in powerful new memoir inspired by late husband

The world’s eyes have been on the couple since Rob’s diagnosis in 2019, but for Lindsey it was all about supporting him. Since his death last year, however, she has found herself catapulted into the spotlight.

With first-hand experience being one of the millions of unpaid carers in Britain, Lindsey is releasing her own memoir – Take Care: A Memoir of Love, Family & Never Giving Up – which is out today.

Lindsey, who lives in Pontefract, said: “I just felt I wasn't doing anything different to what other people were doing. It was Rob that said ‘I think you should do the book’.

“So if it had not been for Rob, who supported me, encouraged me to do it, I don't think I probably would have done it.

"We were very fortunate to have the platform to share our story and I think Rob was very brave and courageous to show the world the reality of living with MND.”

Then Lindsey was asked to host an ITV documentary Who Cares For Our Carers?, which she said opened her eyes for the need for someone to speak out on behalf of carers.

According to the 2021 census, there are 2.5 million unpaid carers in employment (excluding full-time students) in England and Wales.

“I did the documentary for ITV and then with the BBC and I thought, if telling my story helps another person or another family, then I should use my voice and role to really shine the light on carers and the work that they do.

"Carers save the NHS £62bn a year. The equivalent of a second NHS service. Without them our country would probably collapse, so they basically keep the health care system going.”

Take Care follows her family’s story of compassion, perseverance and love.

“I just wanted to do what I could to shine a light and I know speaking to people, people have said how inspired they've been by, not me, but Rob’s story and his courage and his bravery and sharing. He’s been public with the public. So if I can do anything to help others, it's one of the reasons why I wanted to do the book.

“Essentially it's the story of my life with my husband Rob since he faced the devastating diagnosis of MND.

“The book really is about family, it's about love and it's about not giving up when times are tough and in the face of adversity. For me it's about the power of family in the face of adversity.”

Lindsey started writing the book in February 2024 and completed it late last year after Rob’s death. She credits the support of family, friends and her employers without whom she said things would have been “a lot different.”

During Rob’s illness, a typical day in Lindsey's life would consist of her getting the children up, doing the school run, coming back home, getting Rob up, getting him out of bed, dressed, washed, sorting out his medication, feeding him his breakfast, and then just being there should he need anything.

She said: “Towards the end, he was dependent for all care needs; if he needed the toilet, needed a drink or just to get him to stand up.

“I was essentially his carer 24/7, which was a huge privilege. I know Rob would have done the same for me, had it been the other way round.

“Life was pretty hectic. Running really helped. It just gave me that headspace to go out and it gave me something to focus on and I always felt better after I'd been out for a run.

“When you look at Rob and what he was going through, he never moaned, he never felt sorry for himself. It puts life into perspective.”

While Lindsey describes herself as “ordinary” and a bit “boring,” it’s clear that everyone other than her sees Lindsey as a hero.

Lindsey, alongside Rob and his best friend Kevin Sinfield, received a Pride of Britain Award in 2023 for their charitable efforts – with Sinfield being joined by Lindsey during some of his marathon running efforts.

She is on a mission to keep Rob’s legacy going and raise awareness of the importance of carers in her book.

Lindsey said Rob’s attitude was key to her coping. “I wasn't stressed about the house being a mess or being late for things. In reality it doesn't matter,” she said.

She shared how her role as Rob’s wife and then also his carer developed over time. She said: “Naturally over time my role changed but when Rob was first diagnosed he was still coaching.”

Lindsey said MND meant physically Rob had changed and needed support but mentally he was still able to support the family.

“I could still ask him for advice,” she said. “Obviously the relationship does change but he was just in a body that just didn't function like you or I do so he just needed the physical help.

“But we still had those conversations. I would still turn to him to ask ‘what do you think I should do about this or what would you do?’

“So it does change a relationship, but you just have to get on with life and make the most of what you've got. He was still my husband at the end of the day and he was still the man that I married.”

Lindsey’s book is launched tomorrow at Yorkshire Ladies Links conference at Wetherby Racecourse.