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.

Musician and colon cancer advocate James Casey passed away this week at at the age of 40. He appeared in the Lehigh Valley earlier this year touting the importance of cancer screenings.

The President announced 10 medications that are in the first round of prescription drugs subject to Medicare negotiation. PA congresswoman Susan Wild says she will continue to fight big pharma.

About 40 people protested at Lehigh Valley Hospital Wednesday. Many said they or someone they knew had been falsely accused of medical child abuse by LVHN doctors.

A resource for children with autism just marked two years in the Lehigh Valley. Helping Hands Family in Center Valley uses applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy.

The Bethlehem Township Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of land development plans for a five-story, 146-bed expansion between the Women & Babies Pavilion and the site's original tower, also set for expansion.

The marinade in a specific batch of the raw Wegmans jerk chicken may have been cross-contaminated by an equipment malfunction in the processing plant, according to the USDA.

Two new vaccines and a monoclonal antibody therapy are coming to Lehigh Valley health providers this fall to help fight RSV.

Three studies show smoke from Canadian wildfires led to a spike in people with asthma visiting emergency rooms in the United States. One study collected data from about 4,000 U.S. hospitals.

Dr. Lee Riley treats cancers at St. Luke’s University Health Network, but in his free time, he sculpts. He is the recipient of ArtsQuest’s Linny Award for Visual Artist of the Year.

Public health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella, including in Pennsylvania. Dozens of people have fallen ill and at least nine have been hospitalized.

Decluttering a home can help decrease stress and anxiety, according a Lehigh Valley psychologist and a professional organizer. Both say back to school time is usually when they see people wanting more organization.

More organic waste from residential and industrial uses has city staff pursuing a solution, which would include a $1.4 million chemically enhanced primary treatment system.