Health & Wellness News

In the Lehigh Valley, one vape is thrown away every 105 seconds. When they end up as litter or in landfills, hazardous materials can leach into soil and contaminate groundwater.

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.

The new courts could be ready for play during the fall, but spring at the latest, one official said.

A Lehigh Valley healthcare provider is considering prescribing the latest FDA-approved Alzheimer's medication to their patients. The drug Leqembi was granted full regulatory approval this month.

St. Luke's Hospital's Anderson campus proposed expansion is a five-story, 308,000-square-foot project that would add 146 beds and a more than 32,000-square-foot Sterile Processing Infill Development at 1872 Riverside Circle

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation is opening a new hospital in Center Valley. The 78-bed facility opens to rehab patients Sunday, July 30th.

Those with lingering COVID-19 symptoms are part of the group of people who should stay indoors when smoke from the Canadian wildfires is particularly bad, says a Lehigh Valley doctor. He says people living with any type of lung problem should be aware of what’s happening outside.

The PACT Act makes it easier for veterans and their survivors to qualify for benefits if they served in the Middle East, Afghanistan or Vietnam. But to make the most of their benefits, they'll need to submit paperwork to the Department of Veterans Affairs by Aug. 9.

The WHO says aspartame, in large amounts, can cause cancer. A local dietician is weighing in with how bad it really is and what substitutions are out there.

A program that brings mindfulness to schools continues their efforts through summer. The Mindful Child Initiative serves more than 350 classrooms throughout the year and visits playgrounds throughout the summer.

Supplying summer lunches for free. That’s what the health educators from Weller Health Education are doing at Lehigh Valley Health Network’s 17th Street campus.

If approved, the facility would make for LVHN's third "neighborhood hospital," as two others are being built in Lower Macungie and Gilbertsville in Montgomery County.

With 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.

U.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.

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation have launched a $500,000 fundraising campaign to strengthen food access and deliver rapid relief to families in need.

In the Lehigh Valley, 105,000 people rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. One in four of them is a child. When federal safety nets falter, the charitable food network becomes the community’s last line of defense. It requires collaboration, leadership and shared purpose.

About 400 Allentown families came to The Salvation Army for The Give Back resource event Wednesday, where they received shelf-stable food, daily necessities, and more, just as federal assistance benefits are about to be cut off.

The move announced Monday affects patients at LVHN hospitals and offices in the Lehigh Valley – those properties that were providing care before Jefferson Health’s acquisition of LVHN last summer.

The St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest signups are open, offering participants a chance to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon.

The Lehigh Valley International Airport on Friday debuted GoodMaps, a smartphone-driven, audio guidance app for passengers with physical and emotional challenges.

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley held groundbreaking ceremonies for its facility expansion on Wednesday in South Whitehall Township.

The Bethlehem data of St. Luke’s recently completed triennial Community Health Needs Assessment was released at Nitschmann Middle School on Monday.

The Nazareth branch of the River Crossing YMCA announced a $9 million renovation project that will begin in April 2026. The project is $1.5 million short of its goal.

The Philadelphia-based health system will lay off 1% of its staff, citing "financial headwinds." Jefferson Health completed its acquisition of Lehigh Valley Health Network in August 2024.