Sovereign to Broadcast Personal Address on Cancer in Nationwide Programme

The Monarch has taped a first-hand account about his journey with cancer, scheduled for transmission as part of this year's Stand Up To Cancer campaign, spearheaded by Cancer Research UK and a television broadcaster.

Official sources stated the King would discuss his "path to recovery" as a cancer patient, in a televised statement on Friday evening at 8pm UK time.

The message, taped inside Clarence House two weeks ago, will stress the importance of preventative health checks to increase the likelihood more people diagnose the disease at an treatable phase.

This constitutes a uncommon insight on the medical condition of the Monarch, who has been receiving ongoing care since his condition was announced in early last year. However, it is believed doubtful the King will disclose his specific form of cancer.

Fundraising Primary Goal

The annual charity initiative each year raises funds for medical research and patient care and encourages people to get check-ups to improve the probability of an early diagnosis.

The King's relative openness about his illness, and living with cancer, has been aimed to increase understanding and to get more people to get screened - and this will be taken a step further with this exceptional royal involvement.

Up until now the King's primary strategy to his cancer has been to continue his schedule, maintaining a busy schedule in spite of his frequent sessions of therapy, and he seems not to have desired to be overshadowed by his diagnosis.

The past twelve months has seen the Sovereign, undertaking several overseas trips, notably to Italy and Canada, and hosting the biggest number of official guests to the UK for decades, including the German president in recent days.

Friday's Evening Programme

This Friday's charity show on television, hosted by presenters like Davina McCall, Adam Hills and Clare Balding, will urge people not to be afraid of getting preventative tests.

Each presenter have been affected by cancer - one host disclosed last month she had undergone surgery for breast cancer, while Balding was treated for thyroid cancer over a decade ago. Host Adam Hills has previously discussed his father, who had a diagnosis and then later blood cancer.

The show will reach out to the estimated 9m people in the UK who charities state are not up to date with public health checks, with an website to let people see if they are able for examinations for several common cancers.

In an effort to demystify health tests and demonstrate the value of prompt detection there will be a direct feed from hospital departments at Addenbrooke's and Royal Papworth hospitals in Cambridge.

"I want to reduce the stigma surrounding cancer screening and prove the public that they are not alone in this," commented a presenter.

Available Screening Programmes

At present in the UK, there are three national health screening services - for specific cancers - offered to eligible individuals.

A emerging lung cancer screening programme is also being gradually implemented for individuals at high risk of contracting the disease, specifically targeting people of a certain age, who have a smoking history or used to.

Individuals may request prostate cancer checks, but there is not a universal scheme operational.

Funding Research

The fundraising initiative, which has collected a significant sum for many years, is financing multiple medical projects with thousands of patients.

The Monarch, in a message for guests at a gathering for related organisations in the spring, had referred to acknowledging the "intimidating and at times scary reality" for cancer sufferers and their support networks.

But he said his personal journey of managing cancer had revealed that "periods of great challenge of disease can be illuminated by the support of carers," as he praised those who supported individuals with the illness.

Official sources has not revealed the nature of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has been given. The King's cancer was detected following he had received a prostate procedure.