PD Active Partnership with Samuel Merritt University to enhance Nursing Care for Persons with PD
In 2025, SMU established the Lynda Dailey, BSN ’94, Paul Hathaway, FNP, /PD Active Endowed Scholarship and Neurological Curriculum Support Fund.
The fund is a partnership between Samuel Merritt University (SMU), Paul Hathaway, a former PD Active Board Member, and PD Active, to improve nursing care for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and movement disorders.
The fund was established by Paul Hathaway and PD Active in memory of Paul’s wife Lynda “Lyn” Dailey, an SMU alumna and a PD Active Care Partner.
After Paul was diagnosed with PD, the couple identified significant gaps in nursing education regarding neurological care and medication timing for PD patients.
The fund aims to integrate specialized PD training into the nursing curriculum. Under the direction of the Dean of the College of Nursing and neurological curriculum leadership, funds will support lecture series, panels on best practices, student mentorship, and potentially pro-bono community clinics for mobility training.
The endowment also supports an annual scholarship for a student pursuing specialty training in neurologically based movement disorders.
This collaboration serves as a model for nursing schools nationwide, recognizing that nurses are often the primary point of contact for patients—making the sharing of best practices for movement disorders essential to safer, higher-quality care for Parkinson’s patients. By partnering a local organization with deep community expertise with a 117-year-old Oakland university preparing the next generation of nurses, PD Active and SMU aim to create accessible, practical learning opportunities that strengthen care for those living with this disease.
The inaugural program in the symposium series “Supporting Patients with Parkinson’s Disease,” features a panel presentation and Q&A held at the University (525 12th Street, Oakland) on March 12, 2026 at 5:25 p.m. This event will launch an ongoing series of discussions on transforming healthcare at SMU, designed to elevate knowledge, collaboration, and impact. Regular updates will be shared about the scholarship, the work underway at SMU, and additional opportunities to attend future speaker series events.
