Health & Wellness News

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The 75,000-square-foot St. Luke’s Sportsplex features more than two dozen indoor courts and almost the same number outside.

The most popular names have been a constant the past few years, according to the major health networks. But one trend that emerged in 2023 in the Lehigh Valley seems to be tied to sports — specifically, the success and popularity of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taylor Swift also may be having an impact.

New therapies for sickle cell disease could be available in the Lehigh Valley next year. The FDA approved the treatments earlier this month for people 12 and older. The disease disproportionately affects people who are Black and of certain other descents.

Lehigh Valley Health Network plans to merge with Jefferson Health, but deals like this are nothing new to the Philadelphia-based system. For nearly a decade, Jefferson has been combining forces with hospitals in two states.

Getting physical and mental health in check is a popular new year resolution. Lehigh Valley health leaders are explaining how they plan to accomplish their goals for 2024.

Getting healthier in the new year is popular resolution, but sticking to it is the hard part. An Allentown woman is sharing how she kept with her fitness goal, even through a life-threatening diagnosis.

Canine experts emphasize how dangerous and, in some cases, deadly, human foods can be to dogs.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Lehigh Valley Health Network and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals announced plans to merge this week. A healthcare analyst weighs in on what these types of deals mean for employees and patients.

If ultimately completed, the combined health care system would operate 30 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient sites, with more than 62,000 employees, according to LVHN and Jefferson Health.

Pa.'s governor wants more students to take advantage of the universal free breakfast program in schools across the state. He is challenging administrators to promote the program and increase participation.

The 5th annual Pa. Latino Convention was held at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Allentown.

The monkeypox outbreak has similarities to the HIV epidemic in the 1980s, but how do the two compare? Lehigh Valley health experts weigh in on how the viruses differ.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and other officials gathered Monday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to help OraSure Technologies, a developer and manufacturer of point-of-care diagnostic tests and specimen collection devices, celebrate its new Lehigh Valley location.

A Red Cross volunteer from Danielsville is heading to Florida to help after Hurricane Ian. She will assist people with mental health needs, helping them to "process the immediate aftermath" following the category 4 storm.

Those in the Southern hemisphere saw a more intense flu season this year, which could mean the same for the United States, said Dr. Alex Benjamin, chief infection control and prevention officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Lehigh County residents can call the warmline for mental health needs.

Residents came to learn about the causes, risks, and treatment for a common dangerous condition in the first of the Macungie Institute's heart health lecture series.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is now recommending that all adults under age 65 get routine anxiety screenings. We explain what that means for you and why some doctors say this is a good change.

Bethlehem residents told city council they're concerned about an odor suspected to be coming from a nearby business.

Places that pay for plasma have popped up in the Lehigh Valley. Are they negatively impacting donations at volunteer centers?

The Veterans Hub of Northeastern PA has started offering counseling for veterans every Wednesday at a new clinic at St. Luke's Lehighton campus.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Jeffrey Jahre says the booster is safe, but still questions its effectiveness.