When Lana Engler, 40, went through a series of blood and imaging tests, she was optimistic that whatever was causing her symptoms could be easily remedied. But on November 6, 2018, Lana, a single mother of a 10-year-old boy, heard one of the most dreaded words in the English language: cancer. “It literally rocked my world,” she says. “The diagnosis was completely unexpecte... »
In 2013, Caleb Oliver weighed 370 pounds. But when his wife Jana announced her pregnancy, he knew it was time to do something. “It was getting harder for me to accomplish physical tasks, and I wanted to provide a life for my daughter.” He tried numerous diets, but experienced the common “yo-yo” syndrome: his weight went down…then up…then down… After resea... »
TeleBear, PBS39’s furry mascot, has been a hit with children and families in the Lehigh Valley for years. And his family-friendly “Cub Club” recently got an exciting new member—St. Luke’s Pediatrics. “Although St. Luke’s had been an active part of PBS39 for years, the new partnership is exciting,” says Robin Kulesa, membership director at the station. “We thought the... »
Long sunny days can present a conundrum for parents—and Andrew Krakowski, MD, one of the region’s only board-certified pediatric dermatologists, understands. “We want kids to enjoy being outside. But the skin is the body’s largest organ, and it’s our primary shield against the environment. That means it takes the brunt of sun damage.” With a bit of forethought and some sim... »
Parents struggling with a fussy baby or a young child with seemingly random bouts of tummy trouble can seek specialized care that just might make sleepless nights and changing bedsheets a thing of the past. Increasingly, nowadays, pediatricians are seeing young patients with milk intolerance, meaning the youngsters suffer digestive upset after consuming milk, cheese, and o... »
Heather May was accustomed to plenty of physical activity: running at least five (up to 10) kilometers three times each week, playing adult volleyball twice weekly, and frequently visiting the gym. But a sudden burst of pain effectively sidelined her. “I had strained my knee while training for the ‘Brew to Brew 10K race,” she says. “That’s a race from the Allentown Brew Wo... »
When 7-Eleven introduced the Big Gulp in 1976, some marketing executives argued it would never take off. Today, America’s quintessential large beverage generates almost 10% of total store revenue. To no surprise, the majority of us have had issues with weight control at some point in our life. The fact that obesity is still on the rise in our country, however, is a bigger ... »
Some wintertime outdoor activities are enjoyable—skiing, for example. Others are, well, not so much (does anyone really like to shovel snow?). But no matter what you’re doing outside, properly warming up is essential. “When temperatures are low, your muscles are less functional until they have proper blood flow,” says John Graham, Senior Network Administrator for Fit... »
Ask your friends or relatives to define “palliative care,” and you’ll probably get one of two answers:“It’s for pain management.”“It means the patient is going to die soon.” »
FROM MACUNGIE, HELMA (63) AND RICHARD (75) ROSENTHAL WENT THROUGH LAPAROSCOPIC ROUX-EN-Y GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY TOGETHER. THEY HAVE BOTH LOST APPROXIMATELY 100 POUNDS EACH. On February 18th, my husband Richard and I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary and our commitment to one another is stronger than ever. For years, we’ve both struggled with being significan... »
