Opportunities for Growth: Evaluating the Feasibility of a Community Gardening Intervention Pairing Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors with Experienced Gardeners

Abstract

We evaluated the feasibility of a mentored gardening intervention for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors in a hospital-based community garden as a way to improve diet and physical activity, using qualitative data to assess the challenges, facilitators, and areas for future programmatic improvement and replication. Over the course of growing season 2018, AYA cancer survivors tended a garden plot in a community garden under the mentorship of an experienced (master) gardener. AYA cancer survivors were successful in planting and harvesting vegetables from the garden in partnership with their mentors. Qualitative results and future directions for the project are discussed.

Keywords: diet; gardening; quality of life.