Leeds family take on the Leeds 10k together to support cutting-edge cancer care

The Enever family- Peter, Caroline, Molly and Tilly- are taking on the Leeds 10k together in support of our Leeds Cancer Appeal. Their fundraising will support the expansion of Surface Guided Radiotherapy (SGRT) at Leeds Cancer Centre. It marks the first time the whole family has tackled a fundraising challenge as a team. 

For Peter, Head of Radiotherapy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, running has long been part of his life. He completed the London Marathon at just 19, before returning to the sport years later through charity fundraising for the Leeds Half Marathon. Since then, he has taken on everything from ultramarathons and triathlons to a 70.3 Ironman, and his family has gradually joined him. 

Daughters Molly (18) and Tilly (15) have grown up around running, taking part in junior and regular parkruns. When Molly was 17, she completed the Leeds Half Marathon. 

Caroline, who works as a Consultant Radiographer at Bradford Hospitals, was initially more hesitant. Peter explains: “Around nine years ago my wife started with Couch to 5K. She wasn’t a keen runner at first but began coming to parkrun. That progressed to 10ks, and in 2024 she completed the Leeds Half Marathon.” 

Peter adds: “My family goes along with my crazy ideas—it’s the first time we’ll all be fundraising together.” 

The family often run together and even braved the cold weather, heading out for a run on a snow day. 

Peter has fundraised for Leeds Hospitals Charity for many years alongside colleagues in the Radiotherapy department, through sponsored walks, the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge and other events. The department is now pooling fundraising efforts to support the Leeds Cancer Appeal, which aims to expand SGRT and introduce MapRT planning software. These advances will remove the need for closed masks and eliminate permanent radiotherapy tattoos for adults and children. 

“Our collective target is £5,000, so it’ll be great to see how close we can get through the 10k,” says Peter. “I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of SGRT and the positive impact it’s had on the department, the service and, most importantly, patients.” 

Peter’s motivation is both professional and personal. A few months ago, his step-mum received radiotherapy treatment at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, reinforcing the importance of fundraising for improved care. 

“You always want to provide the best possible care,” he says. “If we can make radiotherapy less traumatic and reduce anxiety, that’s what we should be striving for. Cancer treatment is hard enough without being left with a permanent reminder like tattoos. Eliminating them can make a real difference for patients, especially if we can extend this beyond breast cancer.” 

The whole family feels proud to support the appeal and hopes their efforts will inspire others to get involved. Peter’s advice to families considering a fundraising challenge together is simple: 

“Just give it a go. My wife is a brilliant example—going from a non-runner to completing half marathons and Tough Mudders. Trying something new gives you such a sense of pride, especially when you’re raising money for an important cause. Hopefully, it encourages the kids to keep pushing themselves too.”