Health & Wellness News

Our daily list of useful information, chosen to inform and enhance your day, includes news you can use and then some!

The Lehigh Valley will host a marathon for the first time since the pandemic started. Registration will open this month for the St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest.

Lehigh Valley Health Network was victimized in a cybersecurity attack last month. The network said it refused to pay a ransom. Now, patient information and photos have been posted on the dark web, according to LVHN.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced $52.5 million in grants intended to prevent suicide. Named for Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox, the suicide prevention grant program is now in its second year. Its goal is to fund community-based organizations that work with veterans and their families. Last year, the VA gave awards to three groups in Pennsylvania, including more than $530,000 to St. Luke’s Penn Foundation in Carbon County. Eighty recipients won awards nationwide in the program’s first year. Grant applications are due by May 19 with awards expected to be announced in September. Selected organizations will receive funding for 2024. More information on how to apply is available at mentalhealth.va.gov.

Drug shortages seem to be a big issue in the wake of the pandemic. Children's pain medication and other prescriptions have been hard to get in the past few months because of supply chain issues.

The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 8, would remove out-of-pocket costs and require 100% coverage for preventative breast cancer screenings and genetic testing. Proponents say it would be the first of its kind in the nation.

Starting Monday, March 6, Lehigh Valley Health Network will no longer require coronavirus face masks for the public inside hospitals and health care facilities in areas not associated with patient care.

Musician James Casey talks to a Lehigh Valley company about his fight with colon cancer. He is using his platform to tell others about the importance of getting screened.

Toastique, whose founder is a Lehigh Valley native, is finally coming to Bethlehem.

Many school nurses say the pandemic made them feel burned out, stressed out, and exhausted. Now, some are working to catch up on work that didn't get done during that time.

Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, missed votes in Congress this week as a result of her condition. Her office's communications director made the announcement on social media.

Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s hospital just expanded its inpatient pediatric unit from 30 beds to 50. The expansion comes on the heels of a severe respiratory season.

An Allentown-based company helps its users and their families to save money as they pay their medical bills. Along with St. Luke’s, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Tower Health, Penn State Health, and Grand View Health all accept AblePay.

St. Luke's University Health Network released the findings of its triennial community health needs assessment. Police, public health officials, and school representative were all in attendance.

The city of Allentown is participating in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. There are three area drop-off locations for unwanted or expired medications.

Carbon monoxide detectors have been added to the equipment carried by all full-time Allentown paramedics, weeks after dozens of people were hospitalized from a poisoning incident at a day care facility.

Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley released an audit on Tuesday which is focused on the county's health care expenses. He says he found that taxpayers were paying about $4 million more than necessary.

The Kindness Project expands into the Poconos as foster families need more resources to take in children. The non-profit offers free living essentials to kids in foster care.

Lehigh Valley Health Network is now scheduling appointments for the latest bivalent vaccine for kids as young as 5 years old. Parents have to make an appointment.

Bethlehem residents may soon be able to get permits to keep backyard chickens. Two committees agreed the concept is a good one, but some officials still worry about the spread of avian disease and other issues.

80 boxes were packed and handed out to kids across the Wilson Area School District.

Dr. Jose R. Torradas explains how the difference might look subtle, but Spanish-speaking doctors can make for more efficient and compassionate medicine.

Toddlers take to an Upper Macungie park to celebrate their graduation from the NICU. The party made a comeback after being canceled for the last two years because of the pandemic.

Our daily list of useful information, chosen to inform and enhance your day, includes news you can use and then some!