King to Broadcast Intimate Message on Cancer in Television Programme

The Monarch has taped a intimate address about his battle with cancer, set to air as part of this year's Stand Up To Cancer drive, spearheaded by medical research organisations and Channel 4.

The royal household confirmed the King would reflect on his "healing process" as a person living with the disease, in a televised statement on Friday at 20:00 GMT.

The address, filmed within Clarence House recently, will highlight the critical nature of cancer screening checks to increase the likelihood more people catch the disease at an treatable phase.

This will be a rare update on the medical condition of the King, who has been undergoing regular treatment 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 Primary Goal

The Stand Up To Cancer initiative each year raises funds for scientific studies and therapies and encourages people to get check-ups to boost the odds of an timely detection.

The King's relative openness about his health challenge, and living with cancer, has been aimed to raise awareness and to get more people to get screened - and this will be taken a step further with this unique direct participation.

Up until now the King's key philosophy to his cancer has been to maintain his duties, maintaining a full diary in spite of his ongoing course of care, and he is understood not to have wanted to be defined by his condition.

The past twelve months has seen the Sovereign, undertaking several overseas trips, notably to Italy and Canada, and receiving the largest volume of official guests to the UK for a generation, including the German president last week.

Friday's Special Show

The upcoming Stand Up to Cancer show on television, hosted by well-known figures including a team of famous hosts, will encourage people not to be afraid of getting health screenings.

All three have been personally touched by cancer - McCall said last month she had had an operation for the disease, while Clare Balding was overcame the illness in the past. Comedian Adam Hills has previously spoken about his parent, who had one form of cancer and then later another illness.

The show will target the approximate millions of people in the UK who health organisations says are not current with NHS screening schemes, with an digital tool to let people see if they are able for tests for key health indicators.

In an attempt to explain health tests and show the importance of timely identification there will be a real-time transmission from hospital departments at Addenbrooke's and Royal Papworth hospitals in Cambridge.

"The goal is to remove the anxiety out of health checks and show all people that they are not on their own in this," stated Davina McCall.

Available Health Checks

Right now in the UK, there are a number of national health screening services - for specific cancers - available to certain age groups.

A new scheme for lung health is also being gradually implemented for individuals at increased risk of developing the condition, specifically targeting people in a specific age bracket, who are smokers or used to.

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

Funding Research

The charity campaign, which has raised a significant sum over the past decade, is funding 73 research studies encompassing many patients.

His Majesty, in a message for dignitaries at a event for support groups in earlier this year, had spoken of acknowledging the "overwhelming and at times frightening experience" for cancer sufferers and their families.

But he noted his personal journey of coping with cancer had revealed that "the darkest moments of sickness can be brightened by the kindness of others," as he commended those who looked after cancer patients.

Royal representatives has not made public the specific type of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has undergone. The King's cancer was discovered following he had received a routine operation.