Cody Yanochko is usually a bit introverted and not always very eager to take part in new activities. The 15-year-old from Lehigh Township is on the autism spectrum.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Cody was younger, we had a lot of difficulty getting him to try out anything new, even going to school,\u201d said mom Melanie Turock, DO, an emergency medicine\u00a0physician\u00a0with St. Luke\u2019s. \u201cSometimes the transition to leave mom was very difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not so during Camp Via, a 10-week daytime summer program for teens and young adults with special needs between the ages 13 and 21. It runs June 15-Aug. 14.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is his second summer doing\u00a0Camp Via\u00a0and he loves it,\u201d Dr\u00a0Turock\u00a0said. \u201cEvery day he is excited to go to\u00a0camp, and when I try to walk him in, he is so excited that\u00a0runs to his area. When we pick him up, he\u2019ll\u00a0tell\u00a0you\u00a0how his day went, and every day is always awesome. Because of\u00a0Camp Via, we\u2019ve\u00a0seen hm blossom with his social skills.\u201d<\/p>\n
Via\u00a0of the Lehigh\u00a0Valley\u00a0organizes\u00a0Camp\u00a0Via\u00a0to\u00a0prioritize the development of life skills for the campers, doing everything from learning to operate\u00a0a cash register to volunteering with Meals on Wheels, along with traditional camp agendas like crafts and sports.<\/p>\n
In July, St. Luke\u2019s Week at Camp Via included two days at St. Luke\u2019s SportsPlex\u00a0in Allentown, nutrition education with a certified registered dietitian, and adventure skills at Blue Mountain Ski Resort.<\/p>\n
\u201c<\/strong>Camp Via is about helping young people discover their strengths, explore their communities, and prepare for successful, fulfilling futures,\u201d said Lisa Walkiewicz, President and CEO of Via of the Lehigh Valley. \u201cWe make learning fun, whether it\u2019s\u00a0practicing job interviews, building a r\u00e9sum\u00e9, volunteering, or developing everyday life skills. At the same time, we connect families with the services and supports they\u2019ll\u00a0need as their children transition into adulthood, so they feel informed, empowered, and ready for what comes next.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n For more information on Camp Via, go\u00a0their website at\u00a0www.ViaNet.org<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0and search on\u00a0their \u201cWhat We Do\u201d pulldown at the top.<\/p>\n About St. Luke\u2019s\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 1872, St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network with annual net revenue of more than\u00a0$4.5 billion. With 23,000+ employees at 16 hospital campuses and 350+ outpatient sites, it is\u00a0the Lehigh\u00a0Valley\u2019s biggest employer.<\/p>\n The Network\u2019s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital is based at the Bethlehem Campus.<\/p>\n Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke\u2019s is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania. In partnership with Temple University, the Network\u00a0established\u00a0the Lehigh\u00a0Valley\u2019s first and only four-year medical school. It also\u00a0operates\u00a0the nation\u2019s oldest continuously operated School of Nursing, established in 1884, and 60+ fully accredited graduate medical educational programs with 550+ residents and fellows. Additionally, the St. Luke\u2019s College of Health Sciences opened in 2026.<\/p>\n In a 2025 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, St. Luke\u2019s achieved the highest quality score of the nation\u2019s recognized top three high performing health systems. This objective recognition, based on public data reported to the government, reaffirms St. Luke\u2019s preeminent position as THE BEST OF THE BEST among the most respected health care systems in the United States.<\/p>\n St. Luke\u2019s has been named a Leapfrog Group Top Hospital and a Newsweek World\u2019s Best Hospital. In 2026,\u00a0all of\u00a0the Network\u2019s eligible hospital campuses were awarded Medicare\u2019s highest ratings for quality,\u00a0efficiency\u00a0and patient satisfaction. The Network also earned straight\u00a0A\u2019s\u00a0for safety from Leapfrog across\u00a0all of\u00a0its acute care hospitals. It has earned 100 Top Hospital designations from Premier 12 years in a row, including in 2026 when the Network was identified as THE #1 MEDIUM-SIZE HEALTH SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY. Utilizing the Epic electronic medical record (EMR) system for both inpatient and outpatient services, the Network is a multi-year recipient of the Most Wired award recognizing the breadth of SLUHN\u2019s information technology applications such as telehealth, online\u00a0scheduling\u00a0and online pricing information.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Information provided to TVL by: Cody Yanochko is usually a bit introverted and not always very eager to take part in new activities. The 15-year-old from Lehigh Township is on the autism spectrum. \u201cWhen Cody was younger, we had a lot of difficulty getting him to try out anything new, even going to school,\u201d said mom Melanie Turock, DO, an … Continue reading Camp Via Making A\u00a0Difference\u00a0<\/span>
\nGary R. Blockus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"