King to Share Intimate Address on His Health Battle in Nationwide Broadcast
The Monarch has recorded a intimate address about his battle with cancer, which will be broadcast as part of this year's annual cancer awareness initiative, organised by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.
The royal household said the King would discuss his "path to recovery" as a person living with the disease, in a recorded address on Friday at the evening slot.
The address, filmed within a royal residence two weeks ago, will emphasise the importance of routine screenings to increase the likelihood more people catch the condition at an treatable phase.
This will be a rare update on the health of the Monarch, who has been undergoing regular treatment since his condition was announced in early last year. However, it is believed doubtful the King will identify his type of cancer.
The Campaign's Core Mission
The Stand Up To Cancer initiative each year generates donations for scientific studies and treatment and urges people to get health assessments to improve the probability of an prompt identification.
The King's relative openness about his condition, and his experience as a patient, has been designed to raise awareness and to get more people to get checked - and this will be escalated with this unique royal involvement.
So far the King's primary strategy to his cancer has been to maintain his duties, upholding a full diary despite his frequent sessions of care, and he seems not to have sought to be characterised by his illness.
Recently has seen the King, 77, undertaking several overseas trips, notably to Italy and Canada, and hosting the biggest number of foreign dignitaries to the UK for almost 40 years, including the German president recently.
Charity Special Show
This Friday's Stand Up to Cancer programme on Channel 4, presented by well-known figures like Davina McCall, Adam Hills and Clare Balding, will encourage people not to be scared of getting cancer checks.
All three have been affected by cancer - Davina McCall said recently she had undergone surgery for a tumour, while another presenter was overcame the illness in the past. Host Adam Hills has previously mentioned his father, who had one form of cancer and then later blood cancer.
The show will reach out to the approximate millions of people in the UK who health organisations says are not compliant with national health programmes, with an website to let people determine if they are qualified for examinations for breast, bowel and cervical cancer.
In an effort to explain cancer checks and show the value of early diagnosis there will be a live broadcast from treatment centres at two Cambridge hospitals in Cambridge.
"My aim is to take the fear from preventative tests and prove all people that they are not alone in this," stated a presenter.
The Landscape of Screening Programmes
Right now in the UK, there are several key publicly available checks - for specific cancers - available to eligible individuals.
A recently launched lung cancer screening programme is also being slowly rolled out for anyone at high risk of contracting the illness, specifically targeting people of a certain age, who currently smoke or have smoked in the past.
Individuals may discuss prostate screenings, but there is not a universal scheme currently available.
Funding Research
The charity campaign, which has generated £113m since 2012, is financing dozens of medical projects involving thousands of patients.
King Charles, in a statement for guests at a event for cancer charities in the spring, had discussed understanding the "daunting and at times frightening situation" for patients and their support networks.
But he stated his experience of living with cancer had shown him that "the most difficult times of disease can be alleviated by the greatest compassion," as he thanked those who looked after cancer patients.
Official sources has not disclosed the specific type of cancer the King has, or what treatment he has undergone. The King's cancer was discovered following he had received a routine operation.
