Monarch to Share First-Hand Address on Illness in Television Broadcast
His Majesty has taped a personal message about his experience with cancer, which will be broadcast as part of this year's Stand Up To Cancer campaign, spearheaded by a leading cancer charity and Channel 4.
Buckingham Palace stated the King would talk about his "path to recovery" as a person living with the disease, in a televised statement on Friday at the evening slot.
The message, filmed within Clarence House recently, will highlight the importance of cancer screening checks to increase the likelihood more people catch the disease at an initial point.
This represents a rare update on the medical condition of the Sovereign, who has been in a course of therapy since his condition was announced in early last year. But it is thought unlikely the King will disclose his specific form of cancer.
The Campaign's Central Purpose
The annual charity event each year generates donations for clinical trials and patient care and prompts people to get screenings to boost the odds of an early diagnosis.
The King's relative openness about his illness, and his experience as a patient, has been designed to raise awareness and to encourage more people to get checked - and this will be taken a step further with this unusual personal contribution.
To date the King's primary strategy to his cancer has been to maintain his duties, maintaining a hectic timetable despite his ongoing course of treatment, and he appears not to have desired to be characterised by his diagnosis.
This year has seen the King, 77, undertaking several overseas trips, notably to Italy and Canada, and receiving the highest tally of foreign dignitaries to the UK for decades, including the German president in recent days.
Friday's Broadcast Event
Friday evening's Stand Up to Cancer broadcast on Channel 4, presented by presenters including several TV personalities, will appeal to people not to be scared of getting cancer checks.
The hosts have been affected by cancer - McCall said last month she had undergone surgery for the disease, while another presenter was treated for the illness more than 15 years ago. Host Adam Hills has previously discussed his late father, who had one form of cancer and then later blood cancer.
The broadcast will appeal to the approximate millions of people in the UK who Cancer Research UK says are not compliant with national health programmes, with an online checker to let people check if they are able for tests for several common cancers.
In an bid to demystify cancer checks and illustrate the importance of early diagnosis there will be a direct feed from treatment centres at medical facilities in Cambridge.
"I want to take the fear from preventative tests and demonstrate all people that they are not alone in this," stated one of the hosts.
Available National Services
Currently in the UK, there are a number of publicly available checks - for specific cancers - accessible for eligible individuals.
A new preventative initiative is also being slowly rolled out for individuals at potential risk of developing the illness, primarily aimed at people of a certain age, who are smokers or used to.
Individuals may enquire about prostate cancer checks, but there is no national programme in place.
Ongoing Efforts
The charity initiative, which has collected a significant sum over the past decade, is financing dozens of clinical trials with 13,000 patients.
His Majesty, in a address for dignitaries at a event for related organisations in earlier this year, had spoken of acknowledging the "overwhelming and at times frightening situation" for those diagnosed and their support networks.
But he stated his experience of managing cancer had revealed that "periods of great challenge of disease can be illuminated by the support of carers," as he commended those who cared for cancer patients.
Official sources has not revealed the specific type of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has undergone. The King's cancer was detected subsequent to he had undergone a routine operation.
