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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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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The Northeast part of the country is seeing a surge in norovirus cases. A doctor in the Lehigh Valley explains what it is, how to avoid it, and ways to get through it.
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The president and CEO of Miller-Keystone Blood Center sent an email to staff about what he calls the "truth" about Lehigh Valley Health Network's change in blood supplier. The blood bank leader wrote of misconceptions about the situation and what he feels are the facts.
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Good Shepherd Rehabilitation announced a new program to train long-term care nursing aides. Those who enroll will get paid while training and will be hired at the health care provider upon completion.
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After going into cardiac arrest, a Catasauqua woman is thanking the team of EMS, fire and medical professionals that helped to save her life. After nearly 12 months in recovery, she reunited with her life-savers to say “thank you.”
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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.
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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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As cases of sexually transmitted diseases spike, health experts urge people to get tested. The Allentown Health Bureau is offering free walk-in testing to anyone, including those who do not live in the city.
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Good Shepherd Rehabilitation will hold a public event about the inclusion of those with disabilities. The goal is to educate the community about the needs of those working with a disability.