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.
-
The inflation Reduction Act went into effect this year, which caps the price of 10 prescription drugs for Medicare recipients at $35 per month. Now, Congresswoman Susan Wild is talking about a few more bills to make medications more affordable. -
Christmas tree, oh dusty Christmas tree: how dirty are those branches and how do you clean it? A pulmonologist settles the debate of whether a real or fake tree is better for your health.
-
A medical device component company is expanding in the Lehigh Valley. The Palmer Township operation is opening a new facility and adding more positions.
-
The local health systems in the Lehigh Valley say cases of respiratory viruses are on the rise. Doctors are reminding people to get updated vaccinations weeks before holiday gatherings.
-
The Lehigh Valley is the focus of the Pennsylvania's health insurance marketplace as open enrollment is underway. According to data, the area is home to a large number of people who are uninsured.
-
Share a meal, not a virus: Here's a few ways to stop the spread of disease at your holiday gatheringHoliday season is a time of gathering, but indoor get-togethers can be a place where viruses thrive. The CDC and a local pulmonologist have some tips to keep the air moving in your home and the stop illnesses in their tracks.
-
A bake sale in Bethlehem Friday will raise money for children fighting cancer. Proceeds will go to the organization Cookies for Kids' Cancer.
-
A new robotics center is now open at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Center Valley. The Fleming Center for Robotics in Rehabilitation opened Thursday thanks to a significant gift from the Fleming Foundation.
-
Lung cancer screening and prevention was the topic of a health event held by Olympus Corp. of the Americas. The Center Valley-based company partnered with the American Lung Association for the educational engagement.
-
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 98 million people are living with prediabetes and they may not know it. The CDC is launching a campaign called “Be Your Own Hero” to help people determine if they have prediabetes with a one-minute online risk test.
-
Chris Norton, known for his viral videos and Netflix documentary, will speak at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation in Allentown. The Wednesday evening event is free to the public.
-
Both major health networks in the Lehigh Valley are on the receiving end of money for their neonatal ICUs. The donations are from the Lehigh Valley Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Foundation.
-
Summer is a time for travel and outdoor adventures, but an illness can ruin those plans. A local physician is offering up some ways to avoid getting sick this season.
-
It's that time of year for summer cookouts and barbeques, but there are a few things to know about food safety. A local dietician has tips to avoid food poisoning.
-
The Allentown Health Bureau is collecting menstrual products for residents that don't have access or can't afford them. The period poverty initiative is underway during Menstrual Health Awareness Month.
-
The Peeps chick paid a visit to Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital to help celebrate the pediatric hospital's 12th anniversary.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
