
Brittany Sweeney
Health and wellness reporterI’m LehighValleyNews.com’s health and wellness reporter and also host “Living in the Lehigh Valley,” PBS39's health and wellness show. I have covered health-related topics for Lehigh Valley Public Media, contributing to PBS39 and 91.3 WLVR, since 2018. Winning the 2020 Emmy Award for Video Journalist is something I am proud of accomplishing while working for Lehigh Valley Public Media. I grew up in Montgomery County and I'm passionate about telling compelling stories in my home state of Pennsylvania. I'm a graduate of Temple University (go Owls!) and spent most of my career working as an anchor and reporter for NBC affiliates in Northeast Pennsylvania and Ohio. When I'm not covering news around the Lehigh Valley, I can be found exploring the great outdoors with my family. Contact me at BrittanyS@lehighvalleynews.com or 610-984-8170.
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The Veterans Affairs clinic in South Whitehall Township is hosting a free event Wednesday aimed at helping veterans enroll in VA health care and understand the PACT Act. More people are now eligible for benefits following changes to the law.
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Changes to breast cancer screening recommendations are out from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. A Lehigh Valley Health Network physician is calling for more frequent screenings than those in the updated recommendations.
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Northampton Community College hosted the Lehigh Valley’s annual Safety & Health Expo. The Lehigh Valley Safety Committee welcomes people from around the area to the free event.
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A new behavioral health hospital is being built in Hanover Township, Northampton County. Ground was broken Wednesday for Lehigh Valley Health Network’s new facility on the LVHN-Muhlenberg campus.
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The merger is expected to be finalized later in the summer. Once fully approved, the two health care behemoths will form a partnership resulting in a regional provider overseeing 30 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient care sites.
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The Allentown branch of the Greater Valley YMCA is back open following a fire last June. The reopening Monday brought back regulars for workouts — and the public can try it out for free through the end of May.
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Good Shepherd Rehabilitation is hosting a stroke risk screening event. About every 40 seconds someone has a stroke in the United States, but the health condition is preventable.
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A Lehigh Valley based group is working to connect first responders with mental health and other resources. Those who protect and serve are often faced with traumatic situations, now there's help to process feelings formed on the job.
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The safety of a skin care procedure that draws patients’ blood and uses it in the healing process is coming into question. A Lehigh Valley nurse explains how to stay safe while receiving a vampire facial.
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Nicotine pouches seem to be growing in popularity, especially among the younger generations. A local doctor weighs in on the risks of using this type of product.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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80 boxes were packed and handed out to kids across the Wilson Area School District.
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Rachel Rutter is one of 10 women to be nationally honored by the 2022 L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth for her work with immigrant children in Pennsylvania.
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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.
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Monkeypox is getting a name change in parts of the country, but the change has not made its way to the Lehigh Valley yet. New York City’s health department recently announced it now will refer to the infectious viral disease as MPV.
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The Lehigh Valley now has one-stop shop for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. St. Luke's University Health Network opened the first clinic of this kind in the country.
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Hurricane ravaged Florida continues to get help from Red Cross volunteers from the Lehigh Valley. One Lehigh County woman said she’s been asked to extend her two-week deployment, as more help is needed.
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Red Cross: People who spent time in U.K., Ireland, France can give blood again
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AAA East Central said that last winter season, it answered 259,423 calls about battery issues and replaced 57,051 batteries. It says now is the time to prepare your car for colder temperatures.
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For the 2022-23 season, vaccine providers are expected to supply as many as 173.5 million to 183.5 million doses of influenza vaccines to people in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.