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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It was only the fourth time in Musikfest's 41-year history that a headline show has been ended because of weather — the first since 2012, when Musikfest stopped rock group Jane's Addiction from continuing after just 33 minutes because of lightning. -
A listeria outbreak has a major food company recalling deli meats across the county, including here in the Lehigh Valley. An infectious disease doctor explains the signs and symptoms of the foodborne illness.
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1 in 4 menstruating students in the Allentown School District have missed class time because of the lack of access to period products. Funding for free menstrual products for students was approved in the 2024-2025 state budget.
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The merger of Lehigh Valley Health Network and Jefferson Health is now complete. The two closed the deal Thursday morning, creating a regional hospital system that oversees 30 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient care sites.
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The Lehigh County coroner says the average age of people dying from suicide is getting older. He says his office is tracking the data in an effort to provide more outreach efforts.
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An Easton-area couple brought home numerous medals from the 2024 Transplant Games of America. They are among seven athletes from Northampton and Lehigh counties who participated.
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Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a new law that will regulate pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. It's intended to save local pharmacies from closing and save patients money on prescription medications.
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U.S. Rep. Susan Wild touted her bill that she says would protect fertility rights. She held a news conference at the nation's Capitol on World IVF Day this week.
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Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton have teamed up with Lehigh Valley Health Network to make the Lehigh Valley a Blue Zone. The initiative was launched this week and will take the next few years to earn the certification.
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Lehigh Valley Health Network opens an employee child care center in Bethlehem, across from LVHN Muhlenberg. The River Crossing YMCA will run the program.
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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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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.
