Health & Wellness News

Patient advocates protested Wednesday outside Lehigh Valley Health Network's Cedar Crest Campus.

Our daily list of useful information, chosen to inform and enhance your day, includes news you can use and then some!

The Lehigh Valley will host a marathon for the first time since the pandemic started. Registration will open this month for the St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest.

Lehigh Valley Health Network was victimized in a cybersecurity attack last month. The network said it refused to pay a ransom. Now, patient information and photos have been posted on the dark web, according to LVHN.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced $52.5 million in grants intended to prevent suicide. Named for Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox, the suicide prevention grant program is now in its second year. Its goal is to fund community-based organizations that work with veterans and their families. Last year, the VA gave awards to three groups in Pennsylvania, including more than $530,000 to St. Luke’s Penn Foundation in Carbon County. Eighty recipients won awards nationwide in the program’s first year. Grant applications are due by May 19 with awards expected to be announced in September. Selected organizations will receive funding for 2024. More information on how to apply is available at mentalhealth.va.gov.

Drug shortages seem to be a big issue in the wake of the pandemic. Children's pain medication and other prescriptions have been hard to get in the past few months because of supply chain issues.

The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 8, would remove out-of-pocket costs and require 100% coverage for preventative breast cancer screenings and genetic testing. Proponents say it would be the first of its kind in the nation.

Starting Monday, March 6, Lehigh Valley Health Network will no longer require coronavirus face masks for the public inside hospitals and health care facilities in areas not associated with patient care.

Musician James Casey talks to a Lehigh Valley company about his fight with colon cancer. He is using his platform to tell others about the importance of getting screened.

Toastique, whose founder is a Lehigh Valley native, is finally coming to Bethlehem.

Many school nurses say the pandemic made them feel burned out, stressed out, and exhausted. Now, some are working to catch up on work that didn't get done during that time.

Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, missed votes in Congress this week as a result of her condition. Her office's communications director made the announcement on social media.

The American Red Cross and Miller-Keystone Blood Bank are urging people to give blood to avoid a critically low situation. A summer slump and severe weather has impacted donations.

She was a choreographer for M.C. Hammer asked to pitch in at Musikfest, while he was behind the wheel for her journey. A Northampton couple shares their story about finding love at MusikFest.

Lehigh Valley Health Network is launching a clinical trial for a pancreatic cancer vaccine. A handful of hospitals across the country are part of the second phase of the study.

A free health clinic set for Allentown this fall needs volunteers. Medical providers and those willing to setup and break down are in need to help those who need services.

Two well-known health care companies in the Lehigh Valley will continue their relationship for years to come. St. Luke's University Health Network and Capital Blue Cross agreed to continue to work together to insure the hospital network's employees.

The Preventive Measures Foundation awarded $25,000 in community grants to local nonprofits. The money is set to be used for programs that foster mental well-being in both kids and adults.

Coronavirus cases have spiked over the past few weeks — nationally and locally — putting people at risk for long COVID. The condition can have people feeling tired and sick for more than three months.

A listeria outbreak has a major food company recalling deli meats across the county, including here in the Lehigh Valley. An infectious disease doctor explains the signs and symptoms of the foodborne illness.

1 in 4 menstruating students in the Allentown School District have missed class time because of the lack of access to period products. Funding for free menstrual products for students was approved in the 2024-2025 state budget.

In an effort to get a read on what the community really needs, Easton officials are asking the public to take the Blueprint Communities survey.

Fire Marshal Jeff Tomczak died from cancer last week, more than a year after he was diagnosed with cancer. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning in Lansdale.

The merger of Lehigh Valley Health Network and Jefferson Health is now complete. The two closed the deal Thursday morning, creating a regional hospital system that oversees 30 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient care sites.