“My son is living proof that cancer research saves lives” – Jonathan’s experience

In 2013, Jonathan King from Knaresborough drove 3,500 miles across Europe in the name of life-saving cancer research in Yorkshire.

Jonathan and his three friends – a.k.a. ‘The Beach Boys’ – took part in the ‘Ramshackle Rally’, a race through eight countries in a beaten-up old Volvo with bamboo beach-bar theming. The Beach Boys were given just seven days to make the journey, starting in Folkestone and travelling via France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Liechtenstein and Italy to the finish line in Munich, Germany.

With the support of friends and family, people they met on the adventure, and the profits from selling the car, ‘The Beach Boys’ raised over £6,000 for Yorkshire Cancer Research. 

As Yorkshire Cancer Research marks its 100th anniversary in 2025, the charity is celebrating supporters across the region, including Jonathan, for helping bring a century of breakthroughs, progress and life-saving discoveries to Yorkshire, and beyond.

Jonathan’s inspiration for the crazy dash across Europe was his son James. In 1992, James had been just six months old when Jonathan and his wife Debbie were told he had a rare cancer on his leg and buttock. He was given just 14 days to live. 

James was put on a year-long course of chemotherapy in the hope that the tumour could be shrunk enough to permit surgery. A gruelling regime of two weeks in hospital followed by a week at home lasted for over a year before the operation. 

“It was an extremely challenging time for our family, spending endless nights in the chair next to James’ hospital bed. After a year and a half, the tumour had shrunk to a point where surgery was finally possible.”
 

The operation took hours and Jonathan and Debbie paced a local park as the time dragged by. 

When they eventually did see their little boy again, they were met with a wonderful surprise: James was sitting up and smiling.

“James was in surgery for three and a half hours and time went so slowly as we nervously waited outside. But when he came out, he had a beaming smile. It was so touching to see after a year of him crying and being in constant pain. Ever since then, he has remained such a smiley, happy boy who is full of life.”

The surgeons had managed to remove 98% of the tumour – a succesful outcome given the circumstances. However, Jonathan and Debbie were warned the cancer could come back at any time.

Jonathan said: “We had no idea if the treatment would work and what side effects it would bring. All we wanted was for him to get better. Seeing his bright blonde hair grow back felt momentous.” 

To help the doctors better understand the side effects of his cancer treatment, James continued to go to hospital every year for tests until he was 21.

By 2013 - the year of the Ramshackle Rally - James was in his final year at Northumbria University. The Ramshackle Rally was a way for Jonathan to say thank you for the cancer treatment which saved his son’s life.

Jonathan said: “My friends and I were all big fans of Top Gear and had wanted to take part in the Ramshackle Rally for years. So, what better way than by turning it into a fundraiser for a cause close to my heart.

“My friend Graham works at a car trade, so he managed to get us a car for £160. It didn’t have a reverse gear! We had that fixed and covered it with bamboo sticks, plastic flowers, and bunting.

"Everyone we met on the trip were so generous. Lots of people came up to us when we passed through villages. I remember one family gave us 100 euros after I told them we were fundraising for Yorkshire Cancer Research. Their support really boosted our morale.”

Reminiscing about his dad’s fundraiser, James said: “He had been talking about preparing for a rally, but I wasn’t sure what that meant. The next thing I know, he picked me up in front of my friends’ house in this contraption he had been building. I was completely taken by surprise, and maybe a little embarrassed at the time. Looking back, I would love to have that car still, knowing how much he enjoyed that experience.”

Since the Ramshackle Rally 12 years ago, James, now 33, has graduated from Northumbria University and travelled the world with his friends, visiting Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Americas.

When asked about why funding cancer research is so important, Jonathan said: “Seeing James get so sick as a baby made me realise cancer can impact anyone so we must continue to raise funds and find new treatments for people with cancer in Yorkshire, and beyond. My son is living proof that cancer research saves lives.”