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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A rectal cancer survivor is teaming up with a woman who lost her brother to colon cancer to get the word out about the importance of getting routine screenings. Colorectal cancer is very treatable when caught early enough. -
Prescription drug middlemen are being blamed by independent pharmacies for revenue decline, under-reimbursement, and financial strain. As more of the smaller shops shutter, local pharmacists are calling for reform.
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Medical students across the country found out where they are headed for their residencies on Match Day on Friday. For the first time, St. Luke’s Katz School of Medicine held a ceremony in Bethlehem along with partner school Temple University in Philadelphia.
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March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Health care companies across the Lehigh Valley are giving a voice to colorectal cancer patients and their care givers to raise awareness.
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About a million Pennsylvanians have medical debt, but a proposal in the Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2024-25 budget could help alleviate those debts. State Rep. Josh Siegel, who represents parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township, is an advocate for the proposal.
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Technology called cold capping helps people retain their hair during chemotherapy. A mother shares her experience using it while fighting cancer.
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A ribbon cutting for Lehigh Valley Hospital Macungie was held Friday. The neighborhood hospital is a small scale emergency department.
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The medication used to treat COVID-19 is widely available, but underused for treatment. Although it’s no longer free through the government, most insurances still cover the drug.
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Families in the Allentown School District will be on the receiving end of new computer monitors. Capital Blue Cross teamed up with other area organizations to get the technology into the hands of those who need it.
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Dr. Jay Talsania is an orthopedic hand surgeon at OAA Orthopedic Specialists in Upper Macungie. In April, the physician will head to Guatemala once again to offer free health care to children in the third-world country.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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A respiratory illness is plaguing dogs in 16 states, including Pennsylvania. The Lehigh Valley Humane Society is weighing in on the signs and symptoms of the virus.
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A new hospital in the St. Luke’s University Health Network is now open. The ribbon was cut on the orthopedic hospital Wednesday and patients will start being seen at the South Whitehall Township location next week.
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Strep throat is common this time of year among children, but as cases are on the rise a local doctor stresses the importance of getting kids tested and on medication. The bacteria can also cause a condition called scarlet fever.
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A local pediatrician says they’ve had to narrow the number of Lehigh Valley children who can receive a new RSV preventative antibody treatment because of a shortage of the product. She believes the treatment maker underestimated the demand.
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Holiday parties and drinking go hand-in-hand, but when does it become a problem? A local emergency room doctor talks about the short and long term impacts of alcohol consumption.
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The Alzheimer’s Association recently teamed up with the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley to hold an informational event for Spanish speaking seniors. A language barrier can stop people from getting the information they need.
