Super Kevin gears up for his next big challenge in memory of his firefighter friend Ricky

Oldham rugby legend Kevin Sinfield is gearing up for his next mammoth charity effort, after he vowed to raise money for the Ricky Casey Trust next month.

A friend of Kevin’s, Ricky was a much-loved Oldham firefighter who died of Renal Medullary Carcinoma (RMC) in 2019 – a rare and very aggressive form of kidney cancer.

Ricky’s family say they didn't get the support they needed because RMC wasn't widely researched and known about in the UK, so his wife Nicola set up the Ricky Casey Trust charity in October last year.

Now, with Kevin as a patron of the Ricky Casey Trust, the former Leeds Rhinos and England hero will take part in ‘Keepin it Renal’ – a global walk/run or cycle to help raise awareness which is taking place between March 6-27.

This follows Kevin’s heroics recently when he raised more than £2million for Motor Neurone Disease after his great pal and former Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow was diagnosed.

Nicola told us: "Setting up the charity has been such an emotional rollercoaster for me in many ways.

"But when you get support like this from Kev I just know it’s all worth it.

"I’m so grateful to have such a great guy behind the trust!"

Kevin said in a Tweet: “I’m proud to be taking part in another running challenge in March, and it's for the Ricky Casey Trust. 

“Keeping in Renal is a walk, run, or cycle event, raising awareness and funds for Renal Medullary Carcinoma 

“There is something for everyone, so please support and get involved. 

“Let's get movin!”

RMC predominantly afflicts young adults and adolescents of African descent and people with the sickle cell trait, sickle cell disease or other haemoglobin disorders that can cause red blood cells to change into a sickle shape.

RMC can affect people of any age, and men are twice as likely to be affected by RMC than women.

RMC is one of the most aggressive kidney cancers.

Half of a patient study showed that most do not survive longer than four months from diagnosis.

Check out The Ricky Casey Trust’s dedicated Facebook page to find out more about how to get involved and make donations to the Virgin Money Giving Page.

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