Health & Wellness News

Planned for completion in Fall 2026, Lehigh Valley Health Network, now part of Jefferson Health, says the new facility will just about double the size of the existing emergency room at its 2545 Schoenersville Road hospital campus.

The Giant Company has made a $50,000 donation to the River Crossing YMCA to buy nearly 13,000 gallons of milk for its preschool students.

Project drawings also show a footbridge over the nearby mill race — a channel once used to move water to the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill about a half-mile north of the park.

The debut of the $48.5 million Lifestyle Community Center in Upper Macungie Township took another step closer on Thursday afternoon at a walking news conference. The first of 18 heavy timber trusses, imported from Austria, was installed this month on 188,000-square-foot, multi-functional indoor facility.

The hourlong program will be broadcast at 6 p.m. It takes a deeper look at the 2025 Pennsylvania Health Survey by the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion — and how Pennsylvanians view key public health issues, such as vaccinations.

The anonymous questionnaire focuses on opioids and illicit substances. Officials say it builds on the Allentown Health Bureau’s other work to address the ongoing opioid crisis.

Sixty-eight state parks across Pennsylvania now offer free menstrual products. It's part of a broader initiative to make public spaces across the commonwealth more accessible and supportive for all.

Councilman Frank Pintabone reintroduced his marijuana decriminalization ordinance at Easton City Council on Wednesday, aiming to turn possession into a summary charge. A vote on the matter is expected in two weeks.

Top-prize-winning projects include plans for an outdoor classroom at Trexler Middle School, several garden spaces and a free bike tune-up day.

Data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health shows firefighters face a 62% higher risk of developing esophageal cancer and a 39% increase of dying from it. A two-minute test could be just what it takes for firefighters to get ahead of the disease.

A couple dozen riders assembled at Bethlehem City Hall on Thursday ahead of a six-mile group ride for the occasion — one with a goal of changing public outlook toward choosing a bike to commute.

Cuts to Medicaid reimbursements could harm Lehigh County residents and create a budget gap, a new report from the county controller's office found.

A local oncologist is giving some insight into the cancer diagnosis of Kate Middleton. The St. Luke's doctor specializes in gastrointestinal cancers and talks about what the Princess of Wales could be experiencing.

As Miller-Keystone Blood Center is set to no longer be the primary supplier of one of its largest customers, supporters are speaking out about what the nonprofit center has done for them. Blood donors, recipients and coordinators are sharing their life-saving stories.

The women of Sixth Street Shelter in Allentown were hosted for a luncheon to culminate National Women’s Month. The women executives from Bear Creek Mountain Resort met with them to talk about women in leadership and business.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with journalists Brittany Sweeney and Jay Bradley.

For the third year in a row, St. Luke's University Health Network topped health systems in Pennsylvania for charitable giving, according to the Lown Institute.

St. Luke's University Health Network is offering a health and wellness program to businesses in the Lehigh Valley aimed at keeping employees safe. The program has already helped reduce the instances of workplace injuries.

Psychedelic mushrooms are being studied by the medical community to treat issues like anxiety and depression. A Muhlenberg College professor is weighing in with where the research stands and if we could see the legalization of the drug anytime soon.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra toured St. Luke's University Health Network facilities in Allentown Monday while making time to speak with Latino voters about the 2024 presidential campaign.

New policy to combat systemic racism is in place at LVHN. The Valley's largest employer has new protocols in place following accusations of racism from a resident.

Russian-tied BlackCat hacker group attacked another health care system in February, what does it mean for cybersecurity in hospitals?

Lehigh Valley Health Network and Lehigh County Drug & Alcohol are training high school and college students for medical careers. The program aims at bringing more support to the community to make it a safer place to live.

Dr. Debra D. Esernio-Jenssen, a Lehigh Valley Health Network physician facing multiple lawsuits over alleged child abuse misdiagnoses, has announced her retirement. Separately, Lehigh County announced it will create a new "community centered" Child Advocacy Center.