Sovereign to Share First-Hand Address on Cancer in Television Programme

The Monarch has recorded a personal message about his journey with cancer, set to air as part of this year's fundraising initiative, run by Cancer Research UK and a television broadcaster.

The royal household confirmed the King would talk about his "path to recovery" as a individual battling cancer, in a video message on Friday evening at 8pm UK time.

The recording, taped inside Clarence House recently, will stress the critical nature of preventative health checks to help guarantee more people catch the condition at an treatable phase.

This will be a uncommon insight on the health of the King, who has been in a course of therapy since revealing his diagnosis in early last year. But it is thought improbable the King will disclose his type of cancer.

Awareness Primary Goal

The awareness event each year generates donations for clinical trials and patient care and urges people to get check-ups to improve the odds of an early diagnosis.

The King's candid approach about his condition, and living with cancer, has been aimed to increase understanding and to encourage more people to get checked - and this will be escalated with this unique royal involvement.

To date the King's key philosophy to his cancer has been to maintain his duties, upholding a busy schedule despite his regular rounds of therapy, and he seems not to have desired to be overshadowed by his diagnosis.

This year has seen the 77-year-old Monarch, undertaking several international tours, notably to Italy and Canada, and receiving the highest tally of official guests to the UK for decades, which included the German president last week.

Charity Broadcast Event

This Friday's awareness programme on Channel 4, presented by well-known figures including a team of famous hosts, will urge people not to be scared of getting health screenings.

The hosts have been personally touched by cancer - one host disclosed recently she had undergone surgery for breast cancer, while Clare Balding was overcame thyroid cancer over a decade ago. Comedian Adam Hills has previously discussed his late father, who had a diagnosis and then later another illness.

The show will reach out to the estimated 9m people in the UK who Cancer Research UK estimate are not compliant with national health programmes, with an website to let people determine if they are able for examinations for key health indicators.

In an bid to clarify screenings and illustrate the benefit of early diagnosis there will be a real-time transmission from hospital departments at Addenbrooke's and Royal Papworth hospitals in Cambridge.

"I want to remove the anxiety out of health checks and show the public that they are not isolated in this," said one of the hosts.

Available Health Checks

At present in the UK, there are a number of NHS cancer screening programmes - for major health concerns - offered to specific demographics.

A recently launched lung cancer screening programme is also being slowly rolled out for individuals at increased risk of contracting the condition, primarily aimed at people aged 55-74 years old, who are smokers or were former smokers.

Men may discuss prostate screenings, but there is no national programme in place.

Charitable Impact

The Stand Up to Cancer initiative, which has raised a significant sum for many years, is financing dozens of research studies involving 13,000 patients.

His Majesty, in a message for dignitaries at a gathering for support groups in the spring, had referred to understanding the "intimidating and at times scary situation" for cancer sufferers and their support networks.

But he noted his experience of managing cancer had revealed that "the most difficult times of illness can be alleviated by the support of carers," as he thanked those who looked after those receiving treatment.

The Palace has not made public the specific type of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has received. The King's cancer was discovered subsequent to he had undergone a medical treatment.