Health & Wellness News

Fighting AIDS Continuously Together, or FACT, is hosting its 35th annual Snow Ball on Sunday to raise money to help people in the Greater Lehigh Valley with HIV and AIDS.

Hosted by LehighValleyNews.com health and wellness reporter Brittany Sweeney, guests include patients, physicians, a nutritionist and U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley.

A medical device component company is expanding in the Lehigh Valley. The Palmer Township operation is opening a new facility and adding more positions.

The local health systems in the Lehigh Valley say cases of respiratory viruses are on the rise. Doctors are reminding people to get updated vaccinations weeks before holiday gatherings.

The Lehigh Valley is the focus of the Pennsylvania's health insurance marketplace as open enrollment is underway. According to data, the area is home to a large number of people who are uninsured.

Holiday season is a time of gathering, but indoor get-togethers can be a place where viruses thrive. The CDC and a local pulmonologist have some tips to keep the air moving in your home and the stop illnesses in their tracks.

So your vegan family member is coming by for Thanksgiving, and you're at a loss. Relax! It's easier than ever to accommodate your plant-based pals this holiday season with just a few tips, tricks and advice.

"We were building the plane while we were flying it,” said one consultant.

A bake sale in Bethlehem Friday will raise money for children fighting cancer. Proceeds will go to the organization Cookies for Kids' Cancer.

A new robotics center is now open at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Center Valley. The Fleming Center for Robotics in Rehabilitation opened Thursday thanks to a significant gift from the Fleming Foundation.

Lung cancer screening and prevention was the topic of a health event held by Olympus Corp. of the Americas. The Center Valley-based company partnered with the American Lung Association for the educational engagement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 98 million people are living with prediabetes and they may not know it. The CDC is launching a campaign called “Be Your Own Hero” to help people determine if they have prediabetes with a one-minute online risk test.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporters Tom Shortell and Julian Abraham.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) reached an affiliation agreement. The two have worked together before, but the healthcare providers say this will ensure patients get the care they need closest to home.

Laura Brady is hosting a reception on Friday, Sept. 22.

A new value-based primary care center opened in Allentown this week. It’s the second Oak Street Health location in the Lehigh Valley, following a Bethlehem opening in June.

The governor recently committed to reviewing data that will help to attract and retain aides for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. However, the advocacy group Bayada Hearts for Home Care is calling for more to be done for people who serve those with physical disabilities and seniors.

New Bethany Executive Director Marc Rittle said the nonprofit's demographic is becoming younger, and many are not actually experiencing homelessness.

Although hospital officials say a change in location for medevac helicopter access is crucial during building of a new facility at the Anderson campus, some residents think there are more adjustments to be made.

“We're really trying to get ahead of it, so that we can nip this in the bud and avoid having a shortage as we move into the fall and over the holidays,” said Peter Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross, which covers the Lehigh Valley.

Dan "Big Dan Champion" English says the two jobs actually complement each other nicely.

A Bucks County woman is one of the top 10 L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth for 2023. She is the founder of the Twilight Wish Foundation, a nonprofit that grants wishes to seniors, including those in the Lehigh Valley.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporters Tom Shortell and Brittany Sweeney.

The latest COVID booster was approved for people 6 months and older this week. A local doctor says not everyone should get it.