Cancer care experts GenesisCare UK partner with The Sleep Project to launch a unique sleep support programme for their patients with cancer

Cancer care experts GenesisCare UK partner with The Sleep Project to launch a unique sleep support programme for their patients with cancer

National cancer care provider GenesisCare UK has partnered with The Sleep Project to offer 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 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, has now been launched and is believed to be the most comprehensive sleep care service of its kind in the UK.

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.^{1 2}

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 ^{3 4}. 

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.

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 disrupt³. Research shows that better sleep is linked to better recovery, improved treatment outcomes, and even longer survival for those facing cancer⁶.”

Dr Caitlin Chasser, a Sleep Practitioner with 20 years’ experience in General Practice and Co-Founder at The Sleep Project says: “The Sleep Project is delighted to be working with GenesisCare to help enhance cancer patients’ well-being through the power of sleep. We understand the critical role sleep plays in overall health, particularly for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. We’ve developed a series of tailored sleep intervention programmes that will improve sleep quality, support recovery, and manage pain for GenesisCare patients.”

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be very hard on the body, causing fatigue and stress. Sleep helps counter this by allowing the body to repair cells and reduce inflammation.

A recent study⁴ suggests that good sleep quality, combined with better nutritional and inflammatory status can contribute to improved survival among those who have had cancer, thus further reinforcing the importance of integrating sleep quality into the long-term care of patients with cancer to help enhance their overall prognosis.

Dr Caitlin Chasser continues: “Getting enough sleep has been linked to better treatment outcomes and is a powerful ally in the fight against cancer. By improving sleep, you can improve mood disturbance, cancer-related fatigue, and overall quality of life⁸

“The Sleep Project has designed bespoke tools and solutions for GenesisCare patients with cancer which are simple to follow and easy to fit into your day, so patients can take small steps towards feeling more rested.”

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.

Quarterly Sleep Webinars will also be on offer with each focusing on critical aspects of sleep health and its impact on cancer treatment and recovery. Topics covered will include The Relationship Between Pain and Sleep; Managing Sleep Through Menopause; Optimising Sleep for Better Health and Discovering Calm: Mindfulness and Relaxation for Better Sleep Techniques.

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.

Due to the importance of sleep for everyone, the service is now also being offered as an employee benefit to all GenesisCare staff.

For more information please visit: https://www.genesiscare.com/uk/integrative-cancer-care/sleep-project

[1] Sleep and immune function. 10 November 2011. Volume 463, pages 121–137, (2012)

[2]https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00424-011-1044-0?correlationId=ac0e3b7c-03d9-47d0-8ac6-cce856c91e8f

[3] Prevalence of Sleep Disturbance in Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. April 28, 2022

[4] ‘CBT-I in Cancer: We Know It Works, so Why Are We Waiting?’

[5] Can improving quality of sleep reduce the symptoms of cancer-related fatigue in adults?: A systematic review

[6] Combined effects of nutrition, inflammatory status, and sleep quality on mortality in cancer survivors. BMC Cancer 2024 Nov

7] Combined effects of nutrition, inflammatory status, and sleep quality on mortality in cancer survivors - PubMed

[8] Sleeping well with cancer: a systematic review of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in cancer patients

Sheila N Garland,Jillian A Johnson,Josee Savard,Philip Gehrman,Michael Perlis,Linda Carlson Pages 1113-1124 | Published online: 18 Jun 2014

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/NDT.S47790#d1e1218

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About GenesisCare UK:

GenesisCare UK is the UK’s leading cancer care provider, specialising in the treatment of complex cancers and transforming cancer care with advanced diagnostics, medical oncology, radiotherapy and Theranostics. Operating 14 specialist outpatient centres, with an additional centre opening in Leeds in early 2026, we provide patients with world-class care from the UK's top clinical & healthcare teams, and deliver the most advanced, safe and effective cancer care treatments. With a philosophy of treating the whole patient not just their cancer, we take an integrated approach to cancer care.  Our personalised treatment programmes are supported with wellbeing services delivered through our unique partnership with the charity Penny Brohn UK, and we provide exercise medicine, which is proven to deliver improved patient outcomes. In addition, we work with universities and leading clinicians around the world, to research and design new and better ways to treat cancers and have a growing UK clinical trials programme to support bringing new therapies to more patients. Treatments are available for patients with health insurance and those paying for their own care.

www.genesiscare.com/uk