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                Stephanie Kasulka/LehighValleyNews.comWith SNAP benefits delayed in November and the holidays approaching, Lehigh Valley residents can help or get help. Here's where to find food pantries, volunteer opportunities, and donation info.
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                Micaela Hood/LehighValleyNews.comU.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, has organized a food drive while pinning the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Democrats. SNAP benefits that help feed millions of low-income Americans are hours away from expiring.
 
Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute now offers treatment for atrial fibrillation (AFib) with a new system that uses pulsed electrical fields to target problematic heart muscle cells instead of extreme heat or cold.
        
        
    Health & Wellness News
    
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                        Easton legend and former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes was honored on Wednesday with a watercolor portrait for his work with St. Luke's University Health Network.
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                        Lehigh Valley Health Network and Northampton County Chiefs of Police Association are expanding a program which helps those with autism and other communication issues interact with police when stopped.
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                        There's been another attempt to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
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                        The U.S. Government's Medicare telehealth funding deadline is March 31. While many express concerns about its future, a local expert at St. Luke's University Health Network believes the program will be extended.
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                        The federally funded Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley served about 10,000 people last year across its five locations across the region.
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                        Flu rates are up nationally and especially in Pennsylvania. Lehigh and Northampton counties are among the Top Ten counties with influenza cases for this year's respiratory virus season, which runs through September.
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                        Lehigh Valley Health Network has confirmed they will open two new medical facilities at the former Martin Tower site, including a women's health center.
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                        House Republicans want to slash federal spending by $2 trillion and are eying cuts and restrictions to the $880 billion Medicaid program. Demonstrators say they'll keep applying pressure to U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, to oppose such plans.
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                        A Lehigh University student's nonprofit is looking to help the community access dental education and supplies for free through an upcoming event on the university's campus.
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                        There have been dozens of claims brought against B. Braun alleging the ethylene oxide emissions from company facilities contributed to cancer cases in nearby residents and employees.
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                        Lehigh Valley Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Foundation donated $55,000 each to St. Luke's University Health Network and Lehigh Valley Health Network. The funds will go toward NICU equipment and support for needy families whose babies are receiving medical care there.
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                        The Bethlehem City Planning Commission on Thursday gave a 4-0 nod to the land development review for the three-story, 93,500-square-foot expansion with a rooftop helipad. Construction is expected to take more than two-and-a-half years.
 
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                        Technology called cold capping helps people retain their hair during chemotherapy. A mother shares her experience using it while fighting cancer.
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                        A ribbon cutting for Lehigh Valley Hospital Macungie was held Friday. The neighborhood hospital is a small scale emergency department.
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                        U.S. Sen. Bob Casey got a mention during President Biden's State of the Union address but U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, did not. Politics reporter Tom Shortell provides a post-mortem on the SOTU.
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                        The medication used to treat COVID-19 is widely available, but underused for treatment. Although it’s no longer free through the government, most insurances still cover the drug.
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                        Christie Nicas, a Bethlehem woman who conceived two children through in vitro fertilization, will attend President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union address Thursday as a guest of U.S. Rep. Susan Wild.
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                        Families in the Allentown School District will be on the receiving end of new computer monitors. Capital Blue Cross teamed up with other area organizations to get the technology into the hands of those who need it.
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                        Latino Connection will hold its annual health summit April 19 -20 at Wind Creek Event Center.
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                        Dr. Jay Talsania is an orthopedic hand surgeon at OAA Orthopedic Specialists in Upper Macungie. In April, the physician will head to Guatemala once again to offer free health care to children in the third-world country.
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                        The Northeast part of the country is seeing a surge in norovirus cases. A doctor in the Lehigh Valley explains what it is, how to avoid it, and ways to get through it.
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                        Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.
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                        CVS and Walgreens pharmacies announced they will begin offering mifepristone, an abortion drug, through their brick-and-mortar locations in certain states, including Pennsylvania, starting in March 2024.
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                        WLVR's Megan Frank talks with journalists Ryan Gaylor and Brittany Sweeney.