Monarch to Broadcast Personal Address on His Health Battle in Television Address
His Majesty has recorded a intimate address about his battle with cancer, scheduled for transmission as part of this year's fundraising drive, organised by Cancer Research UK and a television broadcaster.
The royal household confirmed the King would talk about his "recovery journey" as a cancer patient, in a televised statement on this Friday at the evening slot.
The recording, taped inside a royal residence a fortnight ago, will stress the importance of preventative health checks to ensure more people diagnose the disease at an initial point.
This will be a rare update on the health of the Sovereign, who has been undergoing regular treatment since the news was shared in early last year. But it is thought doubtful the King will specify his type of cancer.
The Campaign's Central Purpose
The awareness initiative each year collects money for medical research and therapies and encourages people to get screenings to boost the odds of an timely detection.
The King's candid approach about his illness, and managing the disease, has been intended to raise awareness and to encourage more people to get checked - and this will be taken a step further with this unusual direct participation.
Up until now the King's main approach to his cancer has been to keep working, maintaining a hectic timetable alongside his frequent sessions of therapy, and he appears not to have desired to be overshadowed by his condition.
Recently has seen the King, 77, embarking on several foreign visits, such as visits to Italy and Canada, and welcoming the biggest number of inward state visits to the UK for a generation, which included the German president last week.
Friday's Evening Programme
The upcoming charity show on television, hosted by well-known figures such as a team of famous hosts, will encourage people not to be afraid of getting health screenings.
All three have been affected by cancer - McCall said recently she had undergone surgery for the disease, while another presenter was treated for thyroid cancer in the past. Presenter Adam Hills has previously discussed his parent, who had one form of cancer and then later blood cancer.
The show will reach out to the roughly millions of people in the UK who health organisations state are not up to date with national health programmes, with an online checker to let people see if they are eligible for screenings for breast, bowel and cervical cancer.
In an effort to demystify health tests and show the importance of early diagnosis there will be a live broadcast from treatment centres at Addenbrooke's and Royal Papworth hospitals in Cambridge.
"I want to take the fear from cancer screening and show the public that they are not isolated in this," stated Davina McCall.
Available National Services
Right now in the UK, there are a number of publicly available checks - for bowel, breast and cervical cancer - available to specific demographics.
A new lung cancer screening programme is also being phased in for people at increased risk of being diagnosed with the condition, primarily aimed at people of a certain age, who have a smoking history or used to.
Individuals may discuss prostate screenings, but there is not a universal scheme currently available.
Charitable Impact
The charity project, which has generated £113m since 2012, is financing 73 research studies involving thousands of patients.
King Charles, in a statement for guests at a reception for related organisations in earlier this year, had spoken of understanding the "intimidating and at times alarming reality" for cancer sufferers and their loved ones.
But he stated his personal journey of living with cancer had revealed that "periods of great challenge of sickness can be brightened by the support of carers," as he thanked those who looked after individuals with the illness.
Official sources has not made public the nature of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has undergone. The King's cancer was discovered after he had received a routine operation.
