
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 new Women and Babies Pavilion is now open at St. Luke’s Allentown campus. The expansion doubles the number of births the hospital can accommodate each year.
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Access to a warm meal can become few and far between as some people get older, but a local health system is offering low-cost options for seniors. Those looking to grab a bite are coming from across the area to take part in the program.
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A new blood donation site is now open in Bethlehem. Miller-Keystone's satellite location will give people a chance to donate once a month to contribute to critically low blood supply.
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Snacks are a staple during the Super Bowl, but they aren't always healthy. A local dietitian has some swaps that won't compromise flavor.
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A completive blood drive in underway in the Lehigh Valley. Miller-Keystone Blood Center is having a competition between the Allentown fire and police departments to see who can get the most blood donations.
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Stress levels can go up during a big game, like the Super Bowl. A Lehigh Valley cardiologist has some ways to prepare and cam down ahead of Sunday's evet.
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Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S. Lehigh Valley Health Network is one of the many organizations recognizing 'Go Red for Women' day to raise awareness about the topic.
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Lehigh Valley Health Network is changing its primary provider of blood from Miller-Keystone Blood Center to the American Red Cross. LVHN officials say Miller-Keystone will be a secondary provider, but blood center leaders say that hasn't been confirmed.
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The number of people developing cancer is on the rise, but the survival rate is also going up according to the American Cancer Society. Doctors believe there are two contributing factors.
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Pennsylvania's Supreme Court made a ruling pertaining to abortion rights across the state. The issue being disputed is whether government funds should be used for the procedure and if there's a constitutional right to abortions in the state.
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'We will help you put those pieces': Funding awarded to nonprofit helping victims of sex traffickingFinancial assistance is on the way to help a Lehigh Valley nonprofit that assists women who have been sex trafficked. Bloom for Women can now make upgrades to the housing they offer and begin providing services to men and children with the money.
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A local oncologist is giving some insight into the cancer diagnosis of Kate Middleton. The St. Luke's doctor specializes in gastrointestinal cancers and talks about what the Princess of Wales could be experiencing.
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As Miller-Keystone Blood Center is set to no longer be the primary supplier of one of its largest customers, supporters are speaking out about what the nonprofit center has done for them. Blood donors, recipients and coordinators are sharing their life-saving stories.
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The women of Sixth Street Shelter in Allentown were hosted for a luncheon to culminate National Women’s Month. The women executives from Bear Creek Mountain Resort met with them to talk about women in leadership and business.
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St. Luke's University Health Network is offering a health and wellness program to businesses in the Lehigh Valley aimed at keeping employees safe. The program has already helped reduce the instances of workplace injuries.
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Psychedelic mushrooms are being studied by the medical community to treat issues like anxiety and depression. A Muhlenberg College professor is weighing in with where the research stands and if we could see the legalization of the drug anytime soon.
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New policy to combat systemic racism is in place at LVHN. The Valley's largest employer has new protocols in place following accusations of racism from a resident.
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Lehigh Valley Health Network and Lehigh County Drug & Alcohol are training high school and college students for medical careers. The program aims at bringing more support to the community to make it a safer place to live.
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An art show centered around mental health and disabilities is opening in an unlikely place. Midnight Gallery is in the showroom of Vollux Autowerks, a car repair and diagnostics shop in Lehigh County.
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A Carbon County woman is showing others that despite living with a traumatic brain injury, she still has a positive outlook. Ten years after her injury, she is doing things her mother never thought possible at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation in Allentown.
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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.
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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.