Health & Wellness News

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by Bethlehem reporter Will Oliver and Digital News Content Producer Makenzie Christman.

Northampton County Council voted 5-4 Thursday to provide free pads and tampons in every county-owned restroom equipped with running water, including men's rooms.

A Lehigh Valley woman thanks her German stem cell donor in-person nearly a decade and a pandemic after the transplant. St. Luke's University Health network helped connect the two.

Among the winners are projects to repaint the basketball court at Building 21; build several community gardens; and plant trees.

Northampton Community College has a new center dedicated to those going into the health care field. The school now offers cardiac sonography and respiratory care training, a state-of-the-art simulation center, and a center for interdisciplinary health sciences workforce development.

Four years into his massage therapy career, Jared Skinner set out to master a relatively "new" technique to the practice — rolfing. It's a 10-step practice on a weekly basis that aims to relieve the body naturally of pain for upwards of five to 10 years. Only 2,000 body workers professionally practice it worldwide.

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation is introducing groundbreaking robotic exoskeleton technology in the Lehigh Valley. The device helps people who may have suffered a spinal chord injury, stroke, or other paralyzing conditions walk.

The River Crossing YMCA in the Lehigh Valley is enrolling people for free programs this fall. The programs include health and wellness classes for veterans, those needing mental health assistance, those struggling with diabetes, and 7th grade students.

For Overdose Awareness Day, Easton will host a march from the free bridge to the amphitheater where community advocates will be recognized for their efforts, followed by an evening event where authorities and experts will share their thoughts and experiences concerning overdoses.

This time of year can be hectic for families sending kids back to the classroom. A culinary medicine specialist has some quick, easy ways to add nutrients into meal time.

A bike repair station donated by the Whitehall Area Rotary Club was dedicated at the Ironton Rail Trail pavilion on Monday.

The court is optimized to offer a brief but effective workout experience if needed. Users can exercise for 45 seconds, follow that with 15 seconds of rest and be through each zone around the seven-minute mark.

Parents who say they were falsely accused of medical child abuse protested again Sunday outside Lehigh Valley Health Network's Cedar Crest campus.

For the 26th consecutive year, LVHN will provide flu shots to adults and children aged 6 months and older during two drive-thru clinics in November.

A mental health summit at St. Luke's hosted healthcare workers, legislators, and community members. The panel addressed issues treating mental health problems and how to work towards fixing the crisis.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporters Tom Shortell and Julian Abraham.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) reached an affiliation agreement. The two have worked together before, but the healthcare providers say this will ensure patients get the care they need closest to home.

Laura Brady is hosting a reception on Friday, Sept. 22.

A new value-based primary care center opened in Allentown this week. It’s the second Oak Street Health location in the Lehigh Valley, following a Bethlehem opening in June.

The governor recently committed to reviewing data that will help to attract and retain aides for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. However, the advocacy group Bayada Hearts for Home Care is calling for more to be done for people who serve those with physical disabilities and seniors.

New Bethany Executive Director Marc Rittle said the nonprofit's demographic is becoming younger, and many are not actually experiencing homelessness.

Although hospital officials say a change in location for medevac helicopter access is crucial during building of a new facility at the Anderson campus, some residents think there are more adjustments to be made.

“We're really trying to get ahead of it, so that we can nip this in the bud and avoid having a shortage as we move into the fall and over the holidays,” said Peter Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross, which covers the Lehigh Valley.

Dan "Big Dan Champion" English says the two jobs actually complement each other nicely.