Sovereign to Share Personal Message on His Health Battle in TV Address
His Majesty has taped a first-hand account regarding his journey with cancer, set to air as part of this year's fundraising initiative, organised by medical research organisations and a television broadcaster.
Buckingham Palace said the King would discuss his "recovery journey" as a cancer patient, in a video message on Friday at 8pm UK time.
The address, recorded at his London residence two weeks ago, will stress the critical nature of routine screenings to ensure more people catch the condition at an early stage.
This will be a infrequent public commentary on the wellbeing of the Monarch, who has been receiving ongoing care since the news was shared in early last year. But it is thought improbable the King will identify his specific form of cancer.
Awareness Central Purpose
The annual charity initiative each year collects money for scientific studies and patient care and prompts people to get screenings to improve the chances of an early diagnosis.
The King's relative openness about his health challenge, and managing the disease, has been designed to promote education and to encourage more people to get screened - and this will be advanced with this exceptional royal involvement.
Up until now the King's primary strategy to his cancer has been to keep working, preserving a hectic timetable despite his frequent sessions of care, and he appears not to have wanted to be characterised by his condition.
Recently has seen the 77-year-old Monarch, taking several international tours, including to Italy and Canada, and hosting the largest volume of inward state visits to the UK for decades, featuring the German president in recent days.
Friday's Special Show
This Friday's charity broadcast on the network, featuring celebrities such as several TV personalities, will urge people not to be afraid of getting health screenings.
All three have been personally touched by cancer - Davina McCall said last month she had had an operation for a tumour, while Balding was treated for thyroid cancer in the past. Comedian Adam Hills has previously discussed his father, who had stomach cancer and then later blood cancer.
The programme will reach out to the roughly nine million people in the UK who Cancer Research UK says are not compliant with public health checks, with an online checker to let people determine if they are qualified for screenings for several common cancers.
In an attempt to clarify screenings and illustrate the importance of prompt detection there will be a direct feed from hospital departments at medical facilities in Cambridge.
"I want to remove the anxiety surrounding preventative tests and show everyone that they are not isolated in this," said one of the hosts.
Available National Services
At present in the UK, there are three NHS cancer screening programmes - for bowel, breast and cervical cancer - available to certain age groups.
A emerging scheme for lung health is also being gradually implemented for individuals at potential risk of being diagnosed with the illness, primarily aimed at people of a certain age, who have a smoking history or have smoked in the past.
Men may discuss prostate screenings, but there is no national programme currently available.
Charitable Impact
The charity project, which has generated a significant sum for many years, is financing 73 medical projects with thousands of patients.
His Majesty, in a message for dignitaries at a event for related organisations in earlier this year, had referred to acknowledging the "daunting and at times frightening situation" for those diagnosed and their support networks.
But he noted his first-hand encounter of managing cancer had demonstrated that "the darkest moments of illness can be brightened by the greatest compassion," as he thanked those who supported individuals with the illness.
The Palace has not revealed what kind of cancer the King has, or the medical care he has undergone. The King's cancer was discovered after he had received a prostate procedure.
