Gardening for Health for Cancer Survivors

NCT07565896 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00004151/UVMCC2602
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 15
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study is testing whether a gardening and nutrition program can improve well-being in people who have had cancer. Many cancer survivors continue to experience challenges after treatment, including changes in appetite, nutrition, stress, and quality of life. Programs that combine healthy eating, physical activity, and social connection may help address these issues. In this study, participants will take part in a 6-week, in-person program called Gardening for Health. The program includes weekly group sessions held at a garden at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Each session lasts about two hours and includes hands-on gardening activities, nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, and guided wellness practices such as mindfulness and light movement. Participants will also receive educational materials to support healthy eating and gardening at home. The main goal of the study is to determine whether this program is feasible and acceptable for cancer survivors, meaning whether people are willing to participate, attend sessions, and find the program helpful and satisfying. The study will also explore whether participation is associated with improvements in quality of life, stress, sense of belonging, and nutrition-related behaviours. Participants will complete questionnaires before starting the program and again after the 6-week program ends. These surveys will ask about overall health, stress levels, social connection, and lifestyle habits. The researchers hypothesize that participation in the Gardening for Health program will be feasible and well-received by cancer survivors, and that it may lead to improvements in quality of life, reduced stress, and increased feelings of connection and well-being. This is a single-group study, all participants receive the intervention and there is no comparison group. The results will help determine whether this type of program should be studied further in larger trials.

Conditions

Quality of Life; Lifestyle Intervention

Keywords

Cancer Survivors; Gardening Therapy; Horticultural Therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Acceptability of the Gardening and Nutrition Intervention

  Acceptability will be assessed using a post-intervention participant satisfaction survey. Measures will include participant-reported satisfaction with the program, perceived usefulness of the intervention components, and willingness to recommend the program to others. Responses will be summarized descriptively to evaluate overall participant satisfaction and perceived value of the intervention. Responses will be scored on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).

  At 6 weeks (post-intervention)

• Recruitment Rate

  Recruitment rate will be defined as the number of participants enrolled divided by the number of eligible participants who expressed interest in the study during the recruitment period. Unit of Measure: Percentage (%) Time Frame: During study enrollment period (up to 6 weeks)

  At 6 weeks (post-intervention)

• Retention Rate

  Retention rate will be defined as the proportion of enrolled participants who complete the full intervention and post-intervention assessments (T2). Unit of Measure: Percentage (%)

  At 6 weeks (post-intervention)

• Session Attendance

  Session attendance will be defined as the number of intervention sessions attended by each participant out of 6 total sessions. Attendance will be summarized as both the mean number of sessions attended and the proportion of sessions attended. Unit of Measure: Number of sessions (0-6) and Percentage (%)

  During the 6-week intervention period

• Assessment Completion Rate

  Assessment completion will be defined as the proportion of participants who complete all required baseline (T1) and post-intervention (T2) questionnaires. Unit of Measure: Percentage (%)

  At 6 weeks (post-intervention)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Health-Related Quality of Life (SF-36)

  Baseline to 6 weeks

• Change in Perceived Stress (Perceived Stress Scale)

  Baseline to 6 weeks

• Change in Sense of Belonging (General Belongingness Scale)

  Baseline to 6 weeks

Study Arms (1)

Gardening and Nutrition Intervention for Cancer Survivors

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a six-week, in-person gardening and nutrition-based intervention delivered at the University of Vermont Medical Center rooftop garden. The program consists of six weekly sessions, each approximately two hours in duration, led by a multidisciplinary team. Participants will also receive educational materials to support gardening and healthy eating. Outcomes will be assessed using self-report questionnaires administered at baseline prior to the intervention and immediately following completion of the program.

Behavioral: Gardening and Nutrition Intervention

Interventions

Gardening and Nutrition Intervention BEHAVIORAL

The intervention is a structured, six-week, in-person gardening and nutrition-based program delivered at the University of Vermont Medical Center rooftop garden. Participants will attend one session per week, each approximately two hours in duration, for a total of six sessions. The program is led by a multidisciplinary team. Each session integrates hands-on gardening activities (e.g., planting, garden maintenance, harvesting), nutrition education (e.g., dietary fiber, hydration, anti-inflammatory foods), and culinary instruction focused on preparing healthy meals. The program also incorporates experiential components such as mindfulness practices, light physical activity, and engagement with natural outdoor environments. Participants will receive educational materials, including a gardening and nutrition curriculum packet, to support continued application of skills outside of the sessions.

Gardening and Nutrition Intervention for Cancer Survivors

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years or older
• Self-reported current or prior diagnosis of cancer
• Self-identifies as a cancer survivor
• Ability to read, write, and speak English

You may not qualify if:

• Currently significantly immunosuppressed

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Vermont Medical Center: lead

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Gardening; Diet Therapy

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Horticulture; Agriculture; Technology, Industry, and Agriculture; Nutrition Therapy; Therapeutics

Central Study Contacts

Randall F Holcombe, MD

CONTACT

1 (802) 656-2021; Randall.holcombe@med.uvm.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director-Faculty

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 22, 2026
• First Posted: May 4, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2028
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2042
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2042
• Last Updated: May 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04