Sovereign to Share First-Hand Address on Illness in Nationwide Address

The Monarch has recorded a personal message regarding his journey with cancer, which will be broadcast as part of this year's fundraising campaign, organised by a leading cancer charity and a television broadcaster.

The royal household said the King would talk about his "healing process" as a individual battling cancer, in a televised statement on Friday at 8pm UK time.

The address, filmed within a royal residence recently, will stress the critical nature of routine screenings to ensure more people detect the disease at an early stage.

This constitutes a rare update on the wellbeing of the Sovereign, who has been undergoing regular treatment since his condition was announced in early last year. But it is thought unlikely the King will specify his specific form of cancer.

Fundraising Primary Goal

The Stand Up To Cancer campaign each year collects money for clinical trials and patient care and urges people to get screenings to boost the chances of an early diagnosis.

The King's public discussion about his illness, and living with cancer, has been designed to increase understanding and to persuade more people to get tested - and this will be advanced with this unusual royal involvement.

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

Recently has seen the 77-year-old Monarch, embarking on several international tours, such as visits to Italy and Canada, and receiving the highest tally of foreign dignitaries to the UK for decades, featuring the German president recently.

Friday's Evening Programme

This Friday's Stand Up to Cancer programme on the network, hosted by presenters including Davina McCall, Adam Hills and Clare Balding, will appeal to people not to be afraid of getting health screenings.

Each presenter have been affected by cancer - McCall said in November she had had an operation for the disease, while another presenter was overcame the illness more than 15 years ago. Presenter Adam Hills has previously discussed his father, who had stomach cancer and then later blood cancer.

The broadcast will reach out to the roughly 9m people in the UK who health organisations state are not up to date with NHS screening schemes, with an website to let people see if they are eligible for screenings for breast, bowel and cervical cancer.

In an effort to clarify health tests and demonstrate the value of prompt detection there will be a direct feed from cancer clinics at two Cambridge hospitals in Cambridge.

"My aim is to take the fear out of cancer screening and demonstrate all people that they are not on their own in this," stated Davina McCall.

Available National Services

At present in the UK, there are a number of publicly available checks - for specific cancers - accessible for certain age groups.

A emerging preventative initiative is also being phased in for individuals at potential risk of contracting the disease, specifically targeting people of a certain age, who are smokers or were former smokers.

Men may request specific tests, but there is not a universal scheme operational.

Ongoing Efforts

The fundraising initiative, which has generated a significant sum since 2012, is supporting dozens of clinical trials with 13,000 patients.

The Monarch, in a statement for dignitaries at a reception for related organisations in April, had discussed understanding the "overwhelming and at times frightening reality" for patients and their families.

But he said his first-hand encounter of coping with cancer had revealed that "the darkest moments of illness can be alleviated by the kindness of others," as he praised those who looked after cancer patients.

Official sources has not disclosed what kind of cancer the King has, or the medical care he has received. The King's cancer was identified following he had had a routine operation.