
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.
-
An Allentown-based company helps its users and their families to save money as they pay their medical bills. Along with St. Luke’s, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Tower Health, Penn State Health, and Grand View Health all accept AblePay.
-
St. Luke's University Health Network released the findings of its triennial community health needs assessment. Police, public health officials, and school representative were all in attendance.
-
Promise Corps, an Allentown group, came together over the last few months to clean up Black River Sanctuary as it is set to open in spring 2023.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
80 boxes were packed and handed out to kids across the Wilson Area School District.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.