Sovereign to Share First-Hand Address on Illness in TV Broadcast
The Monarch has taped a personal message about his journey with cancer, which will be broadcast as part of this year's fundraising initiative, run by medical research organisations and a television broadcaster.
Buckingham Palace stated the King would reflect on his "path to recovery" as a individual battling cancer, in a recorded address on Friday at 20:00 GMT.
The message, filmed within a royal residence a fortnight ago, will highlight the critical nature of preventative health checks to increase the likelihood more people catch the illness at an early stage.
This will be a uncommon insight on the health of the King, who has been in a course of therapy since his condition was announced in early last year. Analysts suggest unlikely the King will identify his type of cancer.
Awareness Central Purpose
The awareness campaign each year generates donations for medical research and treatment and urges people to get health assessments to increase the probability of an early diagnosis.
The King's relative openness about his condition, and managing the disease, has been aimed to promote education and to persuade more people to get screened - and this will be escalated with this unusual personal contribution.
To date the King's main approach to his cancer has been to maintain his duties, preserving a hectic timetable in spite of his ongoing course of treatment, and he seems not to have wanted to be defined by his illness.
This year has seen the Sovereign, undertaking several international tours, such as visits to Italy and Canada, and welcoming the biggest number of inward state visits to the UK for a generation, featuring the German president last week.
Friday's Special Show
The upcoming awareness show on Channel 4, hosted by well-known figures including several TV personalities, will encourage people not to be afraid of getting cancer checks.
All three have been had experience with cancer - one host revealed recently she had undergone surgery for breast cancer, while Balding was diagnosed with the illness more than 15 years ago. Comedian Adam Hills has previously spoken about his father, who had a diagnosis and then later leukaemia.
The broadcast will target the estimated nine million people in the UK who health organisations state are not compliant with national health programmes, with an digital tool to let people determine if they are eligible for screenings for several common cancers.
In an effort to explain screenings and show the benefit of timely identification there will be a live broadcast from cancer clinics at two Cambridge hospitals in Cambridge.
"My aim is to take the fear surrounding preventative tests and demonstrate everyone that they are not isolated in this," stated Davina McCall.
Understanding Health Checks
Currently in the UK, there are three publicly available checks - for major health concerns - offered to specific demographics.
A recently launched scheme for lung health is also being gradually implemented for anyone at potential risk of being diagnosed with the condition, primarily aimed at people of a certain age, who have a smoking history or were former smokers.
Men may enquire about prostate screenings, but there is lacking a standardised service in place.
Funding Research
The Stand Up to Cancer project, which has raised over one hundred million pounds since 2012, is supporting 73 clinical trials encompassing 13,000 patients.
The Monarch, in a message for guests at a reception for cancer charities in earlier this year, had discussed understanding the "intimidating and at times alarming situation" for cancer sufferers and their loved ones.
But he stated his experience of living with cancer had shown him that "periods of great challenge of illness can be illuminated by the greatest compassion," as he thanked those who looked after individuals with the illness.
The Palace has not made public the specific type of cancer the King has, or the therapies he has been given. The King's cancer was discovered after he had undergone a medical treatment.
