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Experts and community members will discuss the health implications of vaping
Bethlehem, PA. – November 11, 2019 – Health Reporter Brittany Sweeney will host a “Community Conversation on Vaping – Inhaling the Unknown” on Wednesday, November 13. The live program includes a panel of experts, local officials and doctors who will speak on the impact of vaping. Members of the community who have experienced its effects will also share their stories. The program will be recorded in front of a studio audience who will have the opportunity to ask questions. In addition to being broadcast live on PBS39, the program will air on 91.3 WLVR.
“A big part of our organization’s mission is to cultivate an informed community,” Tim Fallon, Chief Executive Officer of Lehigh Valley Public Media said. “Our Community Conversation series gives our viewers in-depth information and discourse on the issues that impact their lives.”
Recently, vaping-related illnesses and deaths have become a cause for concern. Medical professionals across the country and the CDC have warned against the use of all vaping devices, as the specific cause of the illness has not yet been identified. To discuss this health crisis will be an expert panel including:
- Dr. Joseph Schellenberg: Pulmonologist at Lehigh Valley Health Network
- Ankit Shah, MD, FACEP, FAAEM: Associate Director of the Reading Hospital Emergency Department
- Anthony W. Luker: Specialist in the Office of Public Engagement for the PA Office of Attorney General
- Lisa S. Wolff, M.Ed.: Senior Manager of Community Outreach at the Center for Humanistic Change
- Alicia Kline: Certified Prevention Specialist for the Council on Chemical Abuse
- Anita D. Miller: Project Coordinator for Drug Free Communities/Northeast Community Springboard Coalition, Community Prevention Partnership
The conversation will explore the situation in area schools as well, with Jared Perella, a teacher in Reading School District; “Clean Teens” of Wilson High School in Berks County, including president Rachel Radosh, Emily Glenn, and Alexandra Schnoor; and Xander Amidon, a teen who was treated for vaping related injuries with his mother, Kari Ide.
“This is a crisis that primarily affects younger members of our community,” said Brittany Sweeney, Health Reporter for PBS39 News Tonight. “It’s important that families are educated about the risks involved.”
Sweeney has covered vaping stories in Berks County previously, including how school districts approach the crisis, how middle schoolers view the trend, and the first vaping death in Berks County.
This free event is open to the public. Visit PBS39.org/CommunityConversation to reserve a seat in our audience. “Vaping – Inhaling the Unknown” will be broadcast live on Wednesday, November 13 at 7 PM on both PBS39 and 91.3 WLVR.
About Lehigh Valley Public Media™
Lehigh Valley Public Media, home of PBS39/WLVT, WLVR, and WPPT, acts as the catalyst to promote civic engagement, and to fulfill the regional needs of the Greater Lehigh Valley, through its dynamic communication platforms and resources. The Reporter Corps® creates community-focused content for PBS39 News Tonight, digital platforms, and radio. Lehigh Valley Public Media and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley are partnering to fund and fulfill the regional literacy initiative Lehigh Valley Reads. This campaign is working to ensure all Lehigh Valley students read on grade level by the end of third grade by 2025. Lehigh Valley Public Media is a community-owned public media organization serving eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. PBS39 is licensed in Allentown to the Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corporation. For more information, visit PBS39.org.
Information provided to TVL by:
Kelly McCoy
PR & Marketing Coordinator, Lehigh Valley Public Media
