Monarch to Deliver Personal Statement on His Health Battle in Nationwide Broadcast

The Monarch has filmed a first-hand account concerning his battle with cancer, which will be broadcast as part of this year's Stand Up To Cancer drive, organised by Cancer Research UK and a major network.

Buckingham Palace said the King would discuss his "path to recovery" as a cancer patient, in a video message on this Friday at 20:00 GMT.

The recording, taped inside a royal residence two weeks ago, will highlight the importance of routine screenings to increase the likelihood more people catch the disease at an initial point.

This represents a rare update on the medical condition of the Sovereign, who has been in a course of therapy since revealing his diagnosis in early last year. Analysts suggest doubtful the King will specify his type of cancer.

The Campaign's Central Purpose

The annual charity initiative each year collects money for clinical trials and patient care and encourages people to get health assessments to improve the probability of an timely detection.

The King's relative openness about his illness, and living with cancer, has been designed to promote education and to persuade more people to get checked - and this will be escalated with this exceptional personal contribution.

Up until now the King's main approach to his cancer has been to keep working, maintaining a hectic timetable alongside his regular rounds of therapy, and he appears not to have wanted to be overshadowed by his condition.

Recently has seen the Sovereign, embarking on several international tours, such as visits to Italy and Canada, and hosting the highest tally of foreign dignitaries to the UK for decades, including the German president in recent days.

The Televised Evening Programme

Friday evening's awareness programme on the network, featuring presenters such as several TV personalities, will encourage people not to be afraid of getting cancer checks.

The hosts have been personally touched by cancer - one host revealed recently she had undergone surgery for a tumour, while another presenter was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the past. Presenter Adam Hills has previously mentioned his late father, who had a diagnosis and then later blood cancer.

The show will appeal to the approximate 9m people in the UK who Cancer Research UK state are not current with national health programmes, with an website to let people see if they are qualified for screenings for several common cancers.

In an bid to demystify screenings and demonstrate the importance of prompt detection there will be a real-time transmission from cancer clinics at two Cambridge hospitals in Cambridge.

"I want to reduce the stigma from preventative tests and demonstrate the public that they are not isolated in this," said one of the hosts.

The Landscape of National Services

Right now in the UK, there are a number of NHS cancer screening programmes - for bowel, breast and cervical cancer - available to specific demographics.

A new scheme for lung health is also being slowly rolled out for people at increased risk of being diagnosed with the disease, primarily aimed at people of a certain age, who have a smoking history or used to.

Individuals may discuss prostate screenings, but there is lacking a standardised service operational.

Funding Research

The charity campaign, which has generated over one hundred million pounds for many years, is supporting multiple clinical trials involving thousands of patients.

His Majesty, in a message for guests at a event for support groups in April, had referred to acknowledging the "intimidating and at times scary reality" for patients and their families.

But he noted his experience of living with cancer had demonstrated that "the most difficult times of sickness can be illuminated by the support of carers," as he praised those who looked after individuals with the illness.

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 medical treatment.