Health & Wellness News

The coalition of 35 House lawmakers is led by Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia. They’re calling for a vote by Dec. 18 in both chambers of Congress, ahead of the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits by year's end.

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley was nominated for the grant by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, who now leads the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is scheduled to speak Friday during the Lehigh Valley Healthcare Summit. Local transgender advocacy groups are urging officials to cancel it.

The services are first-come, first-served with no ID or insurance required, according to a news release from event care provider Remote Area Medical.

The family of Renna Marra, who has Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, is raising funds for a trained guide dog to help Renna with tasks as mobility assistance, behavioral calming and social communication.

The City of Allentown has partnered with Blue Zones Project-Allentown to promote no drinking and driving during the holiday season.

The Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides vouchers to low-income seniors and others. Last year in Lehigh and Northampton counties, only 24,063 vouchers out of 52,462 distributed to seniors and WIC recipients were redeemed, according to program figures. That's just over a 45% redemption rate.

Located between Main and Front streets, the one-story, 15,000-square-foot building on about 1.5 acres is planned to become the new home of St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Saucon Valley Family Practice.

The SAFECHAT Act would implement safeguards to protect minors from chatbots that could push them to engage in self-harm, suicide or sexually explicit behavior.

Members of the Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force and community partners came to Moravian University Friday to educate students first-hand on how being distracted or impaired can severely impact the ability to drive safely.

Federal health officials say 31 babies in 15 states have been sickened in a growing outbreak of infantile botulism tied to ByHeart infant formula. ByHeart recalled all of its products sold throughout the U.S. No deaths have been reported. Health officials say parents and caregivers who have the formula in their homes should stop using it immediately and dispose of the product. Botulism is a rare but serious disease that can cause paralysis and death. Symptoms can take weeks to develop. The most recent case was reported Nov. 11.

In just two weeks time, 75 businesses, organizations and individuals contributed $677,000 to address food insecurity throughout the Greater Lehigh Valley.

PPL Electric Utilities offers tips to customers designed to keep them safe and warm during the winter season.

The CEO of St. Luke's University Health Network addressed the potential merger of competitor Lehigh Valley Health Network with Jefferson Health. CEO Rick Anderson sent a message to St. Luke's thousands of employees.

Is it COVID-19, RSV, or the flu? Doctors are saying it could be any of the three or even whooping cough. Respiratory illnesses are on the rise following the holiday season and there may not be a reprieve for a while.

January is National Radon Action Month, and officials from the American Lung Association are offering a limited supply of free radon test kits for commonwealth residents, including those in the the Lehigh Valley.

Resources for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren are limited. A Pennsylvania nonprofit is working to change that in the new year.

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 75,000-square-foot St. Luke’s Sportsplex features more than two dozen indoor courts and almost the same number outside.

The most popular names have been a constant the past few years, according to the major health networks. But one trend that emerged in 2023 in the Lehigh Valley seems to be tied to sports — specifically, the success and popularity of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taylor Swift also may be having an impact.

New therapies for sickle cell disease could be available in the Lehigh Valley next year. The FDA approved the treatments earlier this month for people 12 and older. The disease disproportionately affects people who are Black and of certain other descents.

Lehigh Valley Health Network plans to merge with Jefferson Health, but deals like this are nothing new to the Philadelphia-based system. For nearly a decade, Jefferson has been combining forces with hospitals in two states.

Getting physical and mental health in check is a popular new year resolution. Lehigh Valley health leaders are explaining how they plan to accomplish their goals for 2024.

Getting healthier in the new year is popular resolution, but sticking to it is the hard part. An Allentown woman is sharing how she kept with her fitness goal, even through a life-threatening diagnosis.