Sovereign to Share First-Hand Message on His Health Battle in Nationwide Broadcast

The Monarch has taped a first-hand account about his journey with cancer, scheduled for transmission as part of this year's annual cancer awareness drive, organised by Cancer Research UK and a television broadcaster.

Official sources stated the King would reflect on his "healing process" as a cancer patient, in a televised statement on Friday at 20:00 GMT.

The message, filmed within Clarence House recently, will highlight the critical nature of routine screenings to ensure more people diagnose the condition at an initial point.

This represents a uncommon insight on the health of the Sovereign, who has been receiving ongoing care since the news was shared in early last year. But it is thought improbable the King will disclose his type of cancer.

The Campaign's Core Mission

The Stand Up To Cancer campaign each year generates donations for medical research and treatment and encourages people to get screenings to improve the chances of an timely detection.

The King's candid approach about his condition, and his experience as a patient, has been intended to promote education and to persuade more people to get screened - and this will be taken a step further with this unique direct participation.

To date the King's main approach to his cancer has been to continue his schedule, upholding a hectic timetable alongside his frequent sessions of care, and he seems not to have desired to be characterised by his illness.

The past twelve months has seen the 77-year-old Monarch, embarking on several foreign visits, such as visits to Italy and Canada, and receiving the largest volume of foreign dignitaries to the UK for almost 40 years, including the German president recently.

Friday's Evening Programme

This Friday's awareness programme on television, hosted by celebrities including a team of famous hosts, will encourage people not to be afraid of getting cancer checks.

Each presenter have been had experience with cancer - one host disclosed recently she had received treatment for the disease, while another presenter was diagnosed with a thyroid condition more than 15 years ago. Comedian Hills has previously spoken about his parent, who had one form of cancer and then later blood cancer.

The programme will appeal to the roughly 9m people in the UK who health organisations state are not current with public health checks, with an digital tool to let people check if they are eligible for tests for key health indicators.

In an bid to demystify screenings and demonstrate the value of timely identification there will be a direct feed from treatment centres at two Cambridge hospitals in Cambridge.

"I want to remove the anxiety from cancer screening and show the public that they are not isolated in this," commented a presenter.

Available Health Checks

Right now in the UK, there are three publicly available checks - for major health concerns - offered to specific demographics.

A recently launched scheme for lung health is also being gradually implemented for individuals at high risk of being diagnosed with the condition, focusing on people of a certain age, who currently smoke or were former smokers.

Men may request specific tests, but there is lacking a standardised service currently available.

Ongoing Efforts

The Stand Up to Cancer project, which has generated over one hundred million pounds for many years, is supporting 73 research studies with 13,000 patients.

The Monarch, in a message for guests at a event for related organisations in earlier this year, had discussed recognising the "overwhelming and at times alarming reality" for cancer sufferers and their support networks.

But he noted his experience of coping with cancer had demonstrated that "the most difficult times of illness can be alleviated by the kindness of others," as he commended those who looked after individuals with the illness.

Royal representatives has not revealed the nature of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has been given. The King's cancer was discovered after he had had a prostate procedure.