Health & Wellness News

The two weeks of donations for the Boutique at the Rink cancer support fundraiser opened this weekend as volunteers accepted, sorted and placed “cream of the crop” clothing, housewares, sporting equipment and more on tables and racks inside the Earl Shaeffer Memorial Ice Rink on Illick's Mill Road in Bethlehem. The sale runs from May 28-June 1. Volunteers are still needed.

Some of the most beloved characters from the "Star Wars" movies paid a visit to the kids at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital. The fun was planned to start May the Fourth festivities early and bring a smile to the kids' faces.

A bi-annual safety report for general hospitals ranks a portion of the Lehigh Valley as one of the best patient safety areas in the nation. The report grades the facilities on how well they prevent medical errors, accidents and infections.

Allentown’s first ever Community Health Needs Assessment is out. Three areas have been identified as the highest priority and include loneliness and social isolation, safe, stable and affordable housing, and upward economic mobility.

The 36 individuals who lost their homes after a three-alarm fire on in Allentown on Tuesday are being offered shelter and assistance at the Allentown YMCA by the American Red Cross.

Avian influenza, called bird flu, is threatening poultry and dairy cows across the country. Now, local doctors are monitoring the situation closely because it could mutate and become more serious for humans.

The awards announced last week complete the $155 million school safety grants program package issued by the School safety and Security Committee (SSSC) in January 2024.

A local brain injury patient appeared at Home Care Lobby Day in the State Capitol this month to advocate for better wages for her home healthcare nurse. Wages for home health care employees are low and don't often get updates despite the cost of living going up.

Almost 2,200 runners registered for the races that started at William Allen High School and ended at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown on Sunday. Volunteers and spectators lined the route in support of racers. (See the top finishers)

For as many people in the Lehigh Valley that love coasters, there are just as many that are scared of them. A local psychologist says that overcoming fear is possible- just start slow

Despite chilly temperatures, festival-goers were out in abundance.

Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehab states that much of its current staff is in the form of short-term contracts, but it is optimistic it can meet new federal staffing guidelines.

Jillian Mercado, a model and advocate who has spastic muscular dystrophy, urged those with challenges to continue fighting for equality at an event at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation on Wednesday night.

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 fast-growing, Philadelphia-based chain honeygrow opened May 23 in Airport Shopping Center at 1872 Airport Road, Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

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.