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- Alison's Experience of Sleep Support at GenesisCare
Alison's story – After 20 years of sleepless nights, I finally found rest during cancer treatment
In December 2021, Alison, 67 from Bristol, went for what she assumed would be a routine mammogram. “By January, I was called back and told I had breast cancer—two different tumours in the same breast, each a different type and size. My husband happened to ask about private treatment, as he had healthcare insurance through work. Thankfully, we were covered and decided to use it to ensure I was seen quickly.
That decision changed everything. Within a week I was referred to my oncologist Dr Jeremy Braybrooke at GenesisCare and began chemotherapy on 16th February 2022—just four weeks after the initial recall. Without private care, I was told I’d have waited around seven weeks to begin treatment and not having that delay was really important to me.
Over the months, I underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and surgery, followed by endocrine therapy and intravenous bisphosphonate, to protect my bones. I’ll complete my IV treatment this June and will continue tablet therapy for the next 10 years.
Throughout my cancer journey, GenesisCare became more than just a place for treatment—it became my safe haven.
There was structure and support that helped me feel in control during a very uncertain time. I had chemotherapy every three weeks on Wednesdays, and attended the on-site gym as part of their personalised complementary exercise programme every Tuesday and Thursday. The whole team at GenesisCare were wonderful, the nurses, the personal trainers in the gym, the receptionist, my oncologist, they were just so good.
But something I hadn’t expected to change, and something I had battled with for over 20 years, was my sleep.
Since the menopause, I had suffered severe insomnia—waking up two, three, sometimes four times a night. It only got worse during cancer treatment. Sleep became yet another stressor in an already overwhelming time.
So, when I saw GenesisCare had partnered with The Sleep Project, offering a structured sleep programme to patients, I was intrigued - after decades of broken sleep, I didn’t believe anything could help. But I decided to try anyway, and I’m so glad I did.
I began with a sleep diary and quickly saw the difference - although I was in bed for 8 hours, I was only asleep for 5¾. That’s just 63% sleep efficiency. But after five weeks on The Sleep Project programme, that number rose to 93%. I was finally sleeping—deeply and restfully.
For the first time in 20 years, I’ve slept through the night. Some nights I only get up once. The anxiety, grogginess, and stress of poor sleep, which used to dominate my days, have melted away. I no longer lie awake counting down the hours, worrying how little sleep I’ll get before morning. Now, I go to bed knowing I’ll sleep.
The Sleep Programme has been life-changing. It taught me how to retrain my sleep through simple but powerful techniques
The Sleep Programme has been life-changing. It taught me how to retrain my sleep through simple but powerful techniques: maintaining a consistent wake-up time, using a sleep mask and earplugs, not going to bed until truly sleepy, and importantly - getting out of bed if I couldn’t sleep, instead of lying there frustrated.
I had a one-to-one video call with Dr. Caitlin Chasser from The Sleep Project, who guided me through the programme’s wealth of tools: breathing exercises, body scan meditations, informative modules, and a practical insomnia plan. I still do the morning meditation every day.
I now have more energy, feel mentally sharper, and my sleep anxiety is gone. I’ve stopped needing naps. I’m still in disbelief that after all these years, my sleep has improved this much.
GenesisCare offering this sleep support as part of their care is truly remarkable. It’s not just helpful, it’s transformative. The tools and guidance provided would benefit any patient undergoing cancer treatment.
As odd as it may sound, I’ll actually miss my regular visits to GenesisCare in Bristol. It’s been such a calm, supportive place, but I will take away such great tools to help me in the future.