Alison Powlesland, a breast cancer survivor from Keynsham, Bristol, was left with a debilitating side effect following her treatment last year, the ability to sleep. Sleep can be difficult at the best of times but following a cancer diagnosis and through treatment and recovery it often becomes even harder to get the rest you need. Sleep problems, like difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, are incredibly common for people living with cancer with as many as 69% of patients impacted.

Alison, who had treatment at GenesisCare Bristol, said she was ‘intrigued’ when she heard that GenesisCare UK had launched a partnership with The Sleep Project.

GenesisCare UK is the UK’s leading private cancer care provider, specialising in the treatment of complex cancers and transforming cancer care with advanced diagnostics and treatments.

The GenesisCare Sleep Support Programme, designed uniquely for patients with cancer, is believed to be the most comprehensive sleep care service of its kind in the UK. The project offers a unique and multi-faceted programme of tools and webinars with access to some of the country’s top sleep experts to help patients achieve better sleep and enhance wellbeing.

GenesisCare operate 14 state-of-the-art specialist outpatient private cancer treatment centres in the UK

placeholder image — GenesisCare operate 14 state-of-the-art specialist outpatient private cancer treatment centres in the UK

Alison Powlesland says “I've had sleep issues for about 20 years since the menopause and have been battling with sleep since then. I’d wake up two or three, sometimes four times a night and it was a constant worry whether I would sleep or not. After my breast cancer treatment, this became worse and I was also struggling to get to sleep, which I was told is common.”

Sleep deprivation has been shown to negatively affect the immune system, increasing the risk of infections, and potentially influencing tumour growth and the progression of cancer.

Cancer and its treatment bring both physical and emotional challenges that make good sleep difficult. This can be due to many reasons such as treatment side effects, pain, fatigue, stress and worry. But with the right strategies and tools, patients can feel empowered to achieve better sleep and enhanced wellbeing during their cancer journey.

Alison continues “I had a one-to-one video call with Dr Caitlin Chasser, one of The Sleep Project Doctors, and she took me through the programme including the app which includes a whole host of support. There are breathing exercises, and a meditation body scan which I really enjoy, so I do these every morning to set me up for the day. I feel very in control of my sleep now. I know exactly what to do if I’m struggling.

Dr Russell Burcombe, Clinical Director for Breast cancer at GenesisCare

"I think it’s fantastic GenesisCare are offering such a personalised sleep programme to their patients, the tools would be helpful for anyone having any type of cancer treatment. They help you to relax and accept things and not be so worried."

Dr Russell Burcombe, Clinical Director for Breast cancer at GenesisCare says: “Sleep really matters in cancer recovery, which is why we’re so proud to be leading the field with this pioneering partnership with The Sleep Project.

“Sleep is a vital yet often overlooked part of cancer recovery. Beyond its role in general health, sleep plays a key part in supporting the immune system, improving the effectiveness of treatments, and helping with emotional well-being for people during cancer treatment. Good-quality sleep can make a big difference to how we feel and function during the day—something that cancer treatments often disrup1. Research shows that better sleep is linked to better recovery, improved treatment outcomes, and even longer survival for those facing cancer5.”

The dedicated sleep programme developed by The Sleep Project for GenesisCare consists of two main components: Education and Action. Each component is designed to provide comprehensive support to patients, addressing their unique sleep challenges and enhancing their overall treatment experience.

Access to the webinars will be free to all GenesisCare patients via the online platform. Patients will also get access to the online sleep community ‘The Sleep Sanctuary’ and all its sleep resources including a CBT-I based insomnia programme designed to effectively treat insomnia and access to quarterly live Adult Sleep Clinics led by expert Sleep Consultants with Q&A sessions offered.

Supplementary downloadable resources to support and enhance patients’ sleep journeys will include breathwork exercises and audio programmes.