Physical Therapy Professor Treks For Parkinson’s

Professor of Physical Therapy Rosemary Gallagher, Ph.D., D.P.T., is featured in a Backpacker article detailing the hiking opportunities that the nonprofit PassToPass (PTP) provides to those with Parkinson’s disease. Since 2021, Gallagher, who is also an avid volunteer for the New York Tech Rock Steady Boxing program, has advised the PTP board on improving their intake sheets for hikers and designed an online evaluation process that helps make better decisions on which hikers to accept. As a hiking enthusiast and clinician, she also participates in PTP trips to support patients on their treks.

“We don’t see [Parkinson’s patients] in their day-to-day lives, but out backpacking, I got to live with them for a week and see firsthand their challenges on a day-to-day basis,” Gallagher says. “It’s changed for the better how I’m able to help those with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.”