Health & Wellness News

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 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.

Lehigh Valley Health Network's 17th Street Hospital is relocating and expanding its emergency department thanks to $6.5 million in state funding.

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation offers a grant program to fund employees' ideas. Projects range from helping those with spinal chord injuries to researching specific topics.

Lehigh Valley Health Network put out a statement saying they have reached an agreement with Aetna. This comes after the healthcare system said they would drop the health insurance company's members in 2023.

Window washing superheroes rappelled down the side of Lehigh Valley Health Network's Reilly Children's Hospital on Thursday. The super-sized excitement included Superman, Spiderman and the Flash.

St. Luke’s University Health Network begins construction on a new Women & Babies Tower that will bring more resources to families in Allentown. The hope is to serve 3,000 families a year.

Lehigh Valley Health Network mixes mocktails, emphasizes seat belt use, and quizzes Penn State Lehigh Valley students on their alcohol IQ in the week before Thanksgiving.

Cetronia Ambulance Corps is on the receiving end of $300,000 from the state. The money was used to purchase brand new defibrillators.

Seeing Eye puppies are bred to be guide dogs for their blind future handler, and in order to do their jobs, they need to be exposed to as many different environments as possible — including the inside of an ambulance.

Lehigh Valley Health Network is holding a series of influenza vaccine clinics as cases rise across the country. Doctors said this year is expected to be a more severe flu season.

Lehigh Valley Health Network received new spinal surgery device with a $1million grant. The O-Arm device scans a patient's spine.

Lehigh Valley Health Network warns that the triple threat of COVID, flu, and RSV could overwhelm health systems. Doctors are asking people to take extra precautions to protect themselves and avoid overwhelming hospitals.

The Pennsylvania Health Care Association is asking people to be aware of their health before visiting loved ones in long-term care facilities. It's part of an effort to keep residents COVID free and visitation open through the holiday season.