Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce News Newswire

St. Luke's 19th Annual ‘Night of Heroes’ - Patients Honored, First Responders and Trauma Team Recognized

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 14:10:45 GMT

WHAT: Meet the heroes: EMS providers, fire, police, medical caregivers as well as the patients (see below).
WHEN: 6 pm on Saturday, November 14. News media to meet in the main entrance at 5:15 pm for interviews and photos.
WHERE: Wind Creek Bethlehem 77 Sands Blvd. Bethlehem

Two patient heroes will be honored at the 19^th annual St. Luke’s Night of Heroes celebration, along with nearly 100 caregiver heroes who helped make their recoveries possible.

On July 11, 2025, 15-year-old Jeremy Pena of Bethlehem was struck by a car while riding his bicycle. He was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital’s Trauma Center in Bethlehem where he was diagnosed with a severe brain injury and severe limb-threatening lower extremity fractures. Jeremy spent seven weeks in the hospital undergoing several major surgeries and suffering life-threatening complications due to his brain injury. He was in a coma for two-and-a-half weeks with his family at his bedside. After a long hospitalization, Jeremy was discharged to a rehabilitation facility. Currently, he is in 11^th grade at Freedom High School, doing well in school and participating in sports and other activities that he enjoys.
Shawn Coco and her husband of Pen Argyl were stuck by car while riding their motorcycle on April 10, 2025. They were both taken to St. Luke’s Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township. Despite a brain injury, Shawn was initially awake and talking. Over the course of a few hours, she developed a striking change in her neurological exam, and a repeat head CT demonstrated a worsening brain injury that required emergency surgery in the middle of the night. She also sustained multiple orthopedic injuries that required surgery. After seven weeks in the hospital, recovering from her injuries, Shawn was discharged to a rehab facility. She has worked extremely hard to recover from the deficits caused by the crash but today enjoys a full life with her husband, mother and father and two children.

St. Luke’s has honored both patients and caregivers at Night of Heroes for more than 19 years. The event, attended by nearly 800 people, celebrates the caregivers who dedicate themselves to saving lives every day, and the patients who beat the odds to survive. Each year two patients’ families tell their stories through a video presentation, and members of the trauma team who touched these patients’ lives are recognized and honored for their skill and dedication.

In a highly anticipated and suspenseful presentation, the following prestigious awards will be announced live:

Martin Cohen Trauma Humanitarian Award
Dr. Charles D. Saunders Dedication to Trauma Award
William "Billy" Guth Trauma EMS Award
Stephan F. Balshi Innovation & Quality Award

The evening’s schedule is as follows:

6:00 – Cocktails and Dinner Stations
7:45 – Opening Remarks
8:30 – Video and Heroes Awards Presentations
9:15 – Live Music and Dancing

Listed below are the 2026 Heroes Award recipients:

St. Luke’s

Rachel Ackley

Dalia Al-Daoud, RT

Will Anthony, MSW

Reverend Gary M. Barraco

Wayne Baurle, MD

Dessiree Berback, PA-C

Roba Bozakis

Emily Bossler, RN

Kristina Bowen

Patrick Brogle, MD

Kay Cameron-McGregor

Abigail Carl

Elizabeth Corbo, MD

Edgar Cheng, MD

Krishna Chudasama

Jason Davis, MD/PMR

Meghan DeHaven, RN

Ina Dutt, RN

Gabrielle Finkbeiner, RN

Rebekkah Felsher, RN

Heather Fisher, CPC

Brady Fouchie, RN

Angela Garova

Jacalyn Garzillo, OT

Brett Geller, DMD

Nicole Gieniec, CRNP

Robert Gomez, MD

Matthew Godfrey, RN

Megan Gordon, PharmD

Michelle Gormley, DPT

Craig Goldberg, MD

Rachel Goll

Marissa Gottschall, PA-C

Dustin A. Greenhill, MD

Baher Habib, R.T. (R)

Barbara Hannon

Angela Hartman, CRNA

Margaret Higgins, MD

Girma Hundie, PA-C

Nareena Imam, MD

Jeffrey Jaindl

Caryn Janetzko, OTR/L

Brice Kessler, MD

Bright Kim

Kevin Kinney

Dante Kintz, AP

Tammy Knerr, CST

Yeamie Kosari, MD

Zachary Kovach, RN

Sarah Kuehner, DPT

Leilani Lavin, CRNA

Samantha McElwain, RN

Kristine McGorry, MSW

Kevin McVeigh, MD

Maria Mejia-Cortes

Laura Metz

Micheal Muhr, R.T. (R)

Patrick Newins, RN

Laura Obermesik, RN

Kayla Palmer, CCC-SLP

Dustin Pastula

Jonathan Pester, MD

Samantha Phillips

Scott Polansky DO

Casey Pollock, CST

Jarrod Ramer

Ellie Randolph, MD

April Rose, SLP

Jeanice Sanchez, RN

Amy Sandlin

Kelly Sawruk, RN

Christopher Schoepflin

Pratik Shukla

Steven Silvonek, MD

Sheena Smith

Hayden Stepansky

Markella Stoeckel, RN

Alicia Stoner, BS

Brian Sydow, MD

Elias Thome, MD

Ana Vazquez, CST

Padmini Veeraraghavan, MD

Adam Weidner

Robert Weiland, CRNA

Brian Willard, MD

John Wilson, MD

Amy Wojcik, RN

Nestor Worobetz, MD

Suburban EMS

Michael Rapp

Andrea Giovanni

Wind Gap Fire Department

Officer Joshua Lowe

Officer William Wales

Sgt. Andrew Daly

Matthew Oravec

Andrew Glass

Mark Demasi, NRP

Bryan Wilson, MD

City of Bethlehem Fire Department Engine 1

Officer Andrew Wirth

Officer Josh Hobson

Officer Kaitlin Borda

Officer Steve Brailo

IGNITE Your Business 2027 Executive Growth With The Business Program

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 13:21:56 GMT

You've built a business. Now it's time to build its future.

The Montgomery County Commerce Department, in partnership with Widener University Small Business Development Center, invites established Montgomery County business owners to apply for IGNITE Your Business — 2027 Executive Growth Program.

This no-cost executive education program is designed to help business owners transition from managing day-to-day operations to leading the next stage of business growth.

Beginning January 20, 2027, approximately 20 selected business owners will participate in a six-month experience combining expert instruction, real-world business applications, peer collaboration, and strategic planning.

Through IGNITE, you'll strengthen your ability to:

• Identify new opportunities for revenue growth and market expansion.

• Improve profitability and financial decision-making.

• Build stronger teams, leadership capabilities, and business systems.

• Develop an actionable Three-Year Strategic Growth Plan.

Who should apply? Established Montgomery County businesses generating $150,000–$10 million in annual revenue, operating for at least three years, and employing at least one full-time-equivalent employee beyond the owner.

Potential Microgrant Opportunities: In addition to no-cost executive education, eligible businesses may apply for microgrants of up to $5,000 through the Pennsylvania Southeast Business Assistance Center (PA SEBAC), administered by Greenline Access Capital. Funding is subject to eligibility requirements, application approval, and availability. Participation in IGNITE does not guarantee a grant award.

1. Register for an Upcoming Information Session

Learn about the curriculum, eligibility, participant expectations, and application process. Select the session that works best for you:

Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 PM

Register for the November 17 Information Session

Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | 5:30–6:30 PM

Register for the December 2 Information Session

2. Apply for IGNITE and Learn More

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Visit our program website for additional information and to begin your application:

Learn More and Apply Here.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Participation is limited to approximately 20 selected businesses.

The Montgomery County Commerce Department Would Like Your Feedback Through Their Paid Parental Leave Employer Survey

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 13:03:46 GMT

The Montgomery County Commerce Department is conducting a survey to better understand paid parental leave policies among businesses in Montgomery County and the surrounding region.

We’re interested in learning about current employer practices, the challenges businesses face, and how parental leave policies may affect employee recruitment and retention. Your feedback will help us better understand the needs and experiences of local employers.

We welcome responses from businesses of all sizes and industries, whether or not you currently offer paid parental leave.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey: https://ifsight.jotformgov.com/262935148290866

Thank you for your time and for sharing your perspective!

Breast Cancer Patient Launches Cooking Blog

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 17:08:46 GMT

Finding out that you have metastatic breast cancer that has spread to your brain could be devastating.

For Stephanie Kinsella, 29, of Allentown, it was a catalyst to try something new.

Less than a month after being treated for a brain lesion in August as a result of stage IV breast cancer, she embraced her love of cooking and launched "Chef Steph" through a video blog on her Facebook, Instagram and TikTok profiles in order to connect with other cancer patients.

"I've always been interested in cooking, even as a teenager," she said. "This is something I wanted to do when I was originally diagnosed. This time I'm more mentally prepared."

This time. Because when she learned she had breast cancer in 2024, she underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy in 2025.

This time, the Lehighton High School and Penn State University graduate has the benefit of experience to guide her future.

"I wouldn't be where I'm at today of it wasn't for the wonderful care I've received through St. Luke's," Chef Steph said.

Eleanor Harris, MD, the chief of radiation oncology at the St. Luke’s, said, "Stephanie embodies such determination to conquer her cancer and live her life fully… She's positive and willing to do whatever is necessary."

Steph first received her breast cancer diagnosis at age 27. She had already braced herself for the diagnosis, even though she hadn't discovered a lump. She said one breast felt heavier than the other, and a little harder.

"There is a list of symptoms we are told to look for," Steph said, "but that list is not all-encompassing. My symptoms were different. I simply felt that something was off. It wasn’t a lump, and if I hadn’t gotten it checked out, I might not be here today.”

Following her initial diagnosis, genetic testing showed that Steph had the BRCA1 gene for susceptibility to breast cancer. Steph underwent six months of chemotherapy before St. Luke's surgical oncologist Mohamed Lareef, MD, performed a double mastectomy. She then received five weeks of radiation therapy, five days a week.

Everything was going great until this past August when she suffered a seizure. Tests revealed that the same cancer had spread to her brain, causing a lesion, and was now stage 4 cancer.

Because the lesion was too small for surgery, she received stereotactic radiosurgery, a non-surgical form of radiation therapy used to treat brain and body tumors. She is under the care of Dr. Harris, Dr. Shah and St. Luke's medical oncologist Subhash Proothi, MD.

Instead of sinking into despair, Steph found renewed energy and purpose.

"I was like, 'Are you kidding me!'," she said. "I already did this once, but I am even more ready to fight this time, The first time, I was floating through everything, doing what I was told with appointments and treatments and going through those emotions."

Being able to draw on that in retrospect, she had one response: "Hell no, it's not getting me. I put on my oven mitts and said let's get cooking. The kitchen is the only place where I really have control "

Chef Steph is interested in sharing recipes and cancer journeys with other oncology patients, one video blog at a time.

Photo caption: Stephanie Kinsella, 29, of Allentown, films her "Chef Steph" video blog to connect with other cancer patients.

St. Luke's Heart Hospital Completes First Cardiac Surgery

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 18:13:31 GMT

Just weeks after opening its doors, the St. Luke's Heart Hospital has reached another major milestone: the completion of its first cardiac surgery. The complex open-heart procedure marks another important first for the region's dedicated destination for heart and vascular care.

The procedure was performed in one of the Heart Hospital's new cardiac operating rooms by a multidisciplinary team of cardiac surgeons, anesthesia professionals, nurses, perfusionists, technologists and support staff. The cardiac surgery team replaced the patient's aortic valve and repaired an aneurysm in the ascending aorta, a major artery that carries blood from the heart.

By addressing two serious heart conditions during one operation, the procedure provided the patient with comprehensive treatment from a highly specialized cardiac surgery team. It also demonstrated the level of complex cardiac care now available close to home at the St. Luke's Heart Hospital at the Anderson Campus.

"This was a meaningful milestone for our entire team," said Jose D. Amortegui, MD, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at St. Luke's University Health Network, who performed the procedure. "Completing our first cardiac surgery reflects years of planning, preparation and investment in the future of cardiovascular care. It demonstrates what is possible when highly skilled specialists work together in an environment designed specifically for heart patients. This Heart Hospital was built for moments like this."

The milestone follows a growing series of firsts since the Heart Hospital opened, including its first patients and first procedures in the cardiac catheterization and interventional radiology labs. Each represents another step toward expanding access to advanced heart and vascular care for patients across the region.

"When we envisioned the Heart Hospital, our goal was to bring advanced expertise, innovative technology and comprehensive cardiovascular care together under one roof," Dr. Amortegui added. "Every milestone reinforces the value this hospital brings to our patients, their families and the communities we serve. And this is just the beginning."

St. Luke's Heart Hospital brings leading physicians, advanced technology and dedicated clinical teams together in one location to provide exceptional heart and vascular care close to home.

For more information about St. Luke's Heart & Vascular, visit sluhn.org/heart.

St. Luke’s Welcomes Pediatric Neurologist Who Will Be Vice Chair of Pediatrics

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:35:56 GMT

Leigh Ramos-Platt, MD, a pediatric neurologist with special qualifications in child neurology and clinical neurophysiology, recently joined St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. She will also serve as vice chair of Pediatrics.

Dr. Ramos-Platt came East from The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, bringing her expertise in genetic therapy and other treatments for Duchenne and Spinal Muscular Atrophy, both genetic diseases that cause progressive muscle weakness.

“I’m excited to come to this progressive, growing and friendly system with a goal of working with expert teams to help improve quality of life in pediatric patients who suffer from these and other neurologic conditions, which can be either genetic or acquired,” said Dr. Ramos-Platt, who lives in Bethlehem.

A graduate of the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai’i, Dr. Ramos-Platt completed residencies in general pediatrics and neurology at Loma Linda University Hospital Medical Center, California, and the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin), respectively. Her fellowship was in clinical neurophysiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, where she was the first pediatric fellow. She earned an MBA from Eastern University.

She explains that her lifelong medical passion is “anything electric affecting kids’ muscles and nerves.” Bringing advanced therapies to St. Luke’s, she says, “will ease the burden on patients and families so they don’t have to travel to New York or Philadelphia for this specialty medical care.”

The recent additions of Dr. Ramos-Platt and Amisha Jain, MD, pediatric Pulmonologist and co-division chief of Pediatric Specialty Care expand St. Luke’s expert care across more than 40 pediatric subspecialties, noted Jessika Haynos, Vice President, Women’s and Children’s Service Lines at St. Luke's University Health Network.

"St. Luke's Children's Hospital is committed to providing families with the best primary and specialty care for their children,” Haynos said. “By adding Dr. Ramos-Platt’s expertise in pediatric neurology, we have expanded the care options available to families across the region.”

Dr. Ramos-Platt plans to begin introducing neuromuscular gene transfer programs at St. Luke’s, which have been bringing “great outcomes” in advanced, specialty centers both nationally and worldwide.

“There are hundreds of gene therapy trials active or planned for neurological conditions,” Dr. Ramos-Platt adds. “I’m excited to help bring this treatment to St. Luke’s.”

In 2020, at The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, she treated a baby with spinal muscular atrophy who was the first such baby to be referred to the hospital through California’s then newly expanded newborn screening program. (See article: Gene Therapy Saves Greigh From a Paralyzing Muscle Disease | Children's Hospital Los Angeles.)

Dr. Ramos-Platt and her husband, Lorne Platt, who has a PhD in geography and teaches geography and urban planning at West Chester University, recently became empty nesters. Their son is a graduate student at Wake Forest University, and their daughter a freshman at Grinnell College in Iowa, where she’s on their tennis team.

Dr. Ramos-Platt plans to take a medical-mission trip to Cambodia this fall as a volunteer and president of “Neuroscience for All,” a not-for-profit whose mission is to contribute neurologic clinical education and equipment to support patient care in the country whose doctors were killed during the 1970s, she said. She speaks English, some Spanish, a little Mandarin and some Khmer, the national language of Cambodia. She is also on the board of Hunter’s Heart Foundation, a non-profit formed to increase awareness and connection for families who have been given the diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

When Dr. Ramos-Platt wants to relax, she bakes, jogs, makes jewelry, and takes care the family’s animals, all rescues: a Schnoodle (Buttons), two bunnies (River and Lilly) and two Guinea pigs (Selyse and Gimbap).

St. Luke’s Opens Dedicated Theranostics Center at Anderson Campus, Expanding Access to Advanced Cancer Care

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 18:48:32 GMT

St. Luke’s University Health Network has expanded its advanced cancer treatment capabilities with the opening of the St. Luke’s Theranostics Center at St. Luke’s Anderson Campus, a dedicated facility designed to provide patients with access to some of the most innovative targeted cancer therapies available today.

The new center features four private infusion bays designed specifically for patients receiving theranostic treatments. Co-located with St. Luke’s Nuclear Medicine department, the center allows patients to receive consultations, imaging and treatment in one convenient, coordinated location.

A Personalized Approach to Cancer Treatment

Historically, nuclear medicine has been used to diagnose and treat disease. More recently, modern theranostics has evolved through the development of sophisticated imaging agents and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies that have significantly expanded treatment options for cancer patients.

Theranostics is an innovative approach to cancer care that combines advanced imaging and targeted treatment using specialized radioactive medicines. The term combines the words therapy and diagnostics, reflecting a personalized process in which physicians first use one radiopharmaceutical to identify and evaluate the extent of the disease throughout the body and then use a related radiopharmaceutical to deliver treatment directly to those same cells throughout the body.

“Theranostics is a personalized approach to cancer care that helps us identify disease, determine whether a patient is a candidate for treatment and then deliver therapy directly to cancer cells using paired radioactive particles and molecules that stick to the cancer cells themselves,” said Edgar Cheng, MD, diagnostic radiologist and SLUHN Division Chief of Nuclear Medicine. “It enables us to treat cancer with remarkable precision while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues.”

Dedicated Expertise and Specialized Care

The center's physician team includes Dr. Cheng, Dr. Jay Riccardi and Dr. Steven Yang, all board-certified diagnostic radiologists with specialized expertise in nuclear medicine.

Patients receiving care through this program are supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes clinical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, radiopharmaceutical therapy specialists, imaging technologists, and registered nurses.

The patient journey begins with a comprehensive consultation and education session, during which the care team explains the treatment process, discusses radiation safety precautions and answers patient questions. Depending on the prescribed therapy and the type of cancer being treated, patients may receive a series of infusions over several months. Following treatment, patients return for follow-up imaging, laboratory testing and ongoing care coordination with their oncologist and other members of the cancer care team.

Cancers Treated Through the Program

Currently, the St. Luke’s Theranostics Center treats patients with:

Low grade neuroendocrine tumors, a group of uncommon cancers that develop in neuroendocrine cells found throughout the body, most commonly in the digestive tract, pancreas and lungs.
Prostate cancer, particularly advanced forms that can be targeted using specialized radioligand therapies. Radioligand therapy is a targeted cancer treatment that uses a molecule to deliver radiation directly to cancer cells.
Certain thyroid cancers, building upon St. Luke’s longstanding experience with radioactive iodine treatments.

The center currently offers FDA-approved radioligand therapies including Xofigo®, Lutathera® and Pluvicto® for eligible patients.

National Recognition and Future Growth

The expansion further strengthens St. Luke’s position as a leader in nuclear medicine and theranostics. Since 2022, the program has been designated a Clinical Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence by the Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), making it one of approximately 40 programs nationwide to earn the distinction and the only center in the region.

The program is expected to expand as new therapies gain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, allowing patients greater access to leading-edge cancer treatments close to home.

The dedicated center expands access to specialized cancer care while further establishing St. Luke’s as a regional destination for advanced cancer treatment.

Photo caption: One of four private infusion bays designed specifically for patients receiving theranostic treatments.

Pennsburg Power Equipment Along With Wheels For Another Day, Inc. Present Milk and Cookies With Santa and Mrs. Claus

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:24:12 GMT

Nurse, Mom, World Champion: St. Luke's RN Wins Cycling Gold After 19-Year Break

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 15:20:38 GMT

By day, Cindy Sitler, RN, works as a triage nurse for the women's health services line at St. Luke's. After hours, she's the Fogelsville mom of active teenage daughters Madison and Sophia, and wife to husband Michael.

But even with that exhaustive schedule, she found time to chase a different, lifelong dream. This month, at age 37, she became a world champion cyclist.

Cindy, who retired as a cyclist at age 18 despite winning 10 junior national championships, saddled up again last year. After a nearly two-decade hiatus from cycling, she won gold medals in the scratch race, team pursuit, silver in the individual sprint, and a bronze medal at the USA Cycling Masters Nationals.

Six weeks before the UCI Masters World Championships, Cindy's coach, Missy Erickson, was asked if Cindy would be interested in riding for Team USA in the team sprint at Lee Valley Velodrome in London, the one used for the 2012 Olympic Games. It was an easy decision.

"I always wanted to win a rainbow jersey," Cindy said of the special world championship jersey that goes along with the gold medal for world champions. "It was an unbelievable feeling to actually win one."

What began as a simple return to a sport she had loved since childhood quickly became something far more extraordinary for the graduate of St. Luke's School of Nursing.

Cindy first discovered cycling at age 9 at the local velodrome in Trexlertown, known affectionately throughout the world as T-town. She became one of the nation’s top young riders, winning 10 junior national championships. A broken collarbone, college and life ended her career until just last year when she joined a former cycling friend on a "coffee shop" ride. That led to showing up for Women's Wednesdays at T-town, a program that offered free use of the facility's track bikes, which are fixed gear with no brakes. She quickly rediscovered a passion that never truly left.

Just nine months after her return, Cindy captured her first national title in nearly two decades at the 2026 USA Cycling Masters Track National Championships, a milestone that seemed almost unimaginable when she first climbed back onto the bike.

Then came the moment she had dreamed about since she was a little girl.

On October 8, Cindy became a world champion at the UCI Masters Track Cycling World Championships in London, England at the iconic Lee Valley Velodrome, site of the 2012 Olympic Games. She and teammates Andrea Villaroman and Felice Beitzel won the women’s team sprint title while breaking the U.S. national record not once, but twice, first during qualifying and again in the championship final. That made the gold medal even more meaningful.

"Since I first started riding and did my first nationals, being a world champion was the coolest thing you could do," she said. "Standing on the podium, wearing the gold medal and rainbow jersey, and then hearing the national anthem is an almost surreal moment."

Cindy's story is a reminder that dreams don’t come with an expiration date. Whether caring for patients at St. Luke’s, cheering from the sidelines at her daughters’ activities, or racing around a velodrome halfway around the world, Cindy has proven that it is possible to pursue a passion while building a family and career.

Check Out TriCounty Federal Credit Union's Benefits Worth Highlighting

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:52:35 GMT

DaRe Family Establishes St. Luke’s First Endowed Chair for Medical Education

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:35:05 GMT

St. Luke’s University Health Network is pleased to announce that Tony and Adrienne DaRe have established the DaRe Family Chair for Medical Education, the Network’s first endowed chair specifically for medical education.

The chair will support the Temple/St. Luke’s School of Medicine, helping to create opportunities for future physicians and develop the health care workforce that will serve local families and communities for generations to come.

Income generated by the fund supporting the endowed chair will advance the medical school’s academic priorities, including student financial aid, faculty development and educational innovation.

“Adrienne and I have always believed that education is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in people and in the future of our communities,” said Tony DaRe, who leads BSI Corporate Benefits in Bethlehem. “That starts long before medical school. It means creating opportunities for students at every level, removing barriers where we can, and making sure talent and potential are not limited by circumstance. This endowed chair is another way we can invest in people who will ultimately come back and serve our communities for generations.”

“Education can change the trajectory of a person, a family, and ultimately an entire community,” added Adrienne DaRe. “We have been fortunate to support students and educational institutions in many of the communities we care deeply about, and this is a continuation of that commitment. For students who dream of becoming physicians, financial barriers should not determine whether that dream is possible. We hope this investment helps create opportunity, strengthens medical education, and allows more exceptional students to pursue a calling to care for others.”

For Tony and Adrienne, the endowment is the latest expression of their longstanding belief in investing in people. Their support extends to nearly 30 colleges, universities, public schools and early-education organizations, reflecting a commitment to education at every stage of life.

“The DaRe family’s generosity represents a significant investment in the future of medical education in the Lehigh Valley,” said Robert Wax, St. Luke’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “By establishing this endowed chair, they are creating a lasting legacy that will expand opportunities for students, strengthen our academic programs, and help ensure that exceptional physician talent continues to be trained here in our region.”

Shaden Eldakar-Hein, MD, has been appointed the inaugural DaRe Family Chair for Medical Education. She became Chief Academic Officer on December 1, 2025, and she continues to serve as Senior Associate Dean of the Temple/St. Luke’s School of Medicine, a position she has held since 2020.

Dr. Eldakar-Hein successfully guided the medical school’s expansion into a full four-year campus, increased enrollment by 33%, helped grow its endowment to more than $30 million and strengthened the local physician workforce pipeline. Approximately 30% of graduates remain at St. Luke’s for residency training each year. Under her leadership, the school has achieved top-percentile student satisfaction rankings and continues to place graduates in some of the nation’s most prestigious residency programs.

“I am deeply grateful for the DaRe family support and honored to serve as the inaugural DaRe Family Chair for Medical Education,” said Dr. Eldakar-Hein. “The DaRe’s remarkable commitment will help us promote innovation in medical education so that we can continue building an exceptional environment for educating future physicians.

“The DaRe’s personify the concept of ‘giving back to the community.’ Their example is a gift and inspiration to our medical students, who will pay it forward, putting their skills into practice by providing a range of volunteer support services throughout our community.”

Photo caption: From left - Tony DaRe; Adrienne DaRe; Robert Wax; Shaden Eldakar-Hein, MD; and Adam Stauffer, St. Luke’s Associate Vice President of Development.

New St. Luke’s Heart Hospital Opens

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 18:42:28 GMT

St. Luke's University Health Network on Friday opened the new St. Luke's Heart Hospital at St. Luke's Anderson Campus.

A ribbon cutting ceremony at the Bethlehem Township facility was attended by roughly 200 people. Among the speakers at the event was St. Luke’s President & CEO Rick Anderson, who noted the significance of opening the Heart Hospital during United States’ 250th anniversary year.

“The new St. Luke’s Heart Hospital stands as an essential expression of what American ingenuity, innovation and determination can achieve,” Anderson said. “Like every hospital built by St. Luke’s, it was constructed with American steel with an unwavering commitment to excellence. Combining world-class technology, leading-edge design and the expertise of our exceptional clinicians, this facility reflects St. Luke's and our nation’s proud tradition of pioneering advances in health care. Most importantly, it ensures that patients throughout our region have access to some of the finest cardiovascular care available anywhere in the world, right here in the Lehigh Valley.”

The $252 million Heart Hospital is the largest construction project in St. Luke's more than 150-year history, both in dollar figure and square footage.

The five-story, approximately 355,000-square-foot facility is seamlessly integrated into St. Luke’s Anderson Campus. A central corridor on each of the upper floors stretches 330 feet — roughly the length of a football field.

Construction began in 2024 and has employed over a thousand skilled workers. Once fully operational, the Heart Hospital will support hundreds of permanent, family-sustaining healthcare jobs.

The new facility will provide patients with convenient access to the full spectrum of St. Luke's nationally recognized cardiovascular services, including four dedicated heart operating rooms, one hybrid operating room, ten advanced interventional suites for cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology and interventional radiology, in addition to a specially designed cardiac intensive care unit providing high-acuity heart patients advanced specialized care.

“This Heart Hospital represents one of the most significant investments in cardiovascular care our region has ever seen,” said Raymond Durkin, MD, St. Luke’s Cardiovascular Services Chairman. “When I look at this building, I don’t just see a hospital. I see lives that will be saved, families that will have more time together and a commitment to delivering world-class cardiovascular services close to home for generations to come.”

Additionally, the Heart Hospital will be fully equipped with the latest, most innovative equipment and technologies to best treat our cardiac patients. This includes state-of-the-art imaging equipment to visualize and assess the most intricate heart issues, heart-lung machines to pump blood during open-heart surgeries and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines to provide patients with continuous, long term cardiopulmonary support.

The Heart Hospital will also serve as a Siemens international show site for cardiac imaging and will attract physicians and other health care leaders from around the globe to experience the highest standard of cardiovascular care in action.

Despite its size and complexity, the project was completed at a relatively low per-square-foot cost by industry standards, a testament to St. Luke's extensive experience in hospital construction. In recent years, St. Luke's has built five full-service acute care hospitals — more than any other health system in Pennsylvania.

Designed to support learning and innovation, the Heart Hospital furthers St. Luke's educational mission through expanded teaching space including a new cardiac fellowship program. It also incorporates numerous design innovations improving efficiency and enhancing patients' experience.

The facility also includes features that will improve flow and otherwise benefit the broader Anderson Campus, including a new and larger cafeteria and a rooftop helipad. The helipad will facilitate the rapid transport of patients to the campus trauma center, which this month earned the highest-level trauma accreditation reserved for the most advanced trauma centers.

“The new Heart Hospital is a transformative investment in the future of health care for our region, nearly doubling the number of in-patient beds at the Anderson Campus to meet a growing demand for St. Luke’s high-quality services,” said Ed Nawrocki, president of St. Luke’s East Region and the Anderson Campus. “For 15 years, Anderson Campus has grown alongside the communities we serve, expanding access to advanced, high-quality care. The Heart Hospital builds on that legacy by bringing world-class cardiovascular expertise, state-of-the-art technology and an exceptional patient experience together under one roof. It reinforces what our patients already know: They can receive the most advanced heart care available anywhere, right here close to home.”

Located on a 500-acre campus overlooking the Lehigh River, St. Luke's Anderson Campus opened 15 years ago as Pennsylvania's first new full-service acute-care hospital in four decades.

Since then, the campus has continued to expand to meet the region's healthcare needs. The original campus included a state-of-the-art cancer center and medical office building. In 2017, the addition of a $26 million Specialty Pavilion added new specialty services and an Ambulatory Surgery Center. In 2020, the $90 million Women & Babies Pavilion opened, introducing labor and delivery services, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), graduate medical education space and a simulation teaching center, doubling the size of the existing hospital.

With its additional 140 beds, the Heart Hospital nearly doubles the Anderson Campus’ inpatient capacity.

The Anderson Campus is also home to the St. Luke's Rodale Institute Organic Farm, which supplies fresh produce to St. Luke's hospitals, and an extensive network of popular walking trails. During the summer and fall, the campus's iconic sunflower and cosmos fields attract thousands of visitors from across the region.

MCCC’s Hospitality Institute Opens Student-Operated Bistro 1964 and Bakery 340 For Fall Semester

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:43:41 GMT

Sept. 30, 2026, Blue Bell, Pa.— Two new food options are now open for community members, students and employees this fall inside Montgomery County Community College’s Hospitality Institute on the Blue Bell Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike.

Bistro 1964 and Bakery 340 are the educational restaurant and bakery operated seasonally by students in the Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts programs. Students plan, prepare, and serve all food and beverages as part of this capstone experience, applying techniques, skills, and procedures learned throughout their academic coursework.

Bistro 1964 is open for service to the community on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Thursday, Dec. 3. Reservations are required through OpenTable or by visiting the webpage at mc3.edu/hospitality.

Lunch features a Prix-Fixe menu that includes guest choice of first and second courses, chef’s dessert selection, and a beverage for $26 (plus 6% sales tax). Pizza may be ordered for takeout at the counter during service hours, while supplies last, for $10 (plus 6% sales tax). Bistro 1964 only accepts credit and debit cards.

Bakery 340 is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. until noon, while supplies last, through Wednesday, Dec. 9. Customers can choose from a variety of pastries including croissants, danish, muffins, scones, donuts, cake slices, and cookies made from seasonal ingredients baked fresh by students. Coffee is brewed by local roaster ?Backyard Beans. The bakery is cash only.

MCCC’s Culinary Arts program prepares students for positions in food service operations, such as hotels and resorts, restaurants, healthcare facilities, country clubs and catering. Through hands-on instruction, students gain the practical kitchen applications of quality food preparation and knowledge needed for success in the culinary industry.

In MCCC’s Baking & Pastry Arts program, students learn the fundamental knowledge and advanced skills necessary for success in the baking and pastry industry. Through hands-on instruction, students are prepared for entry- to mid-level positions in bakeries, country clubs, hotels and resorts.

For more information about Bistro 1964 and Bakery 340, contact the Hospitality Institute at culinary@mc3.edu.

Photo: Student-operated Bistro1964 is now open for service to the community on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Dec. 3 in the Hospitality Institute on Montgomery County Community College’s Blue Bell Campus. Bakery 340 is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. through noon, or while supplies last, now through Wednesday, Dec. 9. Photo by Linda Johnson

2026 Small Business Credit Survey

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 18:47:35 GMT

The Federal Reserve’s 2026 Small Business Credit Survey is now open!

Your voice shapes the policies and programs that affect your business. Owners and key financial decisionmakers of for-profit businesses, please share your recent operational and financial experiences, about whether and how you use debt, and more.

Answers to these questions contribute to data that directly inform the Fed, federal government agencies, service providers, policymakers, and others.

The survey is open to businesses currently in operation, those recently closed, and those about to launch. All responses are confidential.

Take the 12-minute survey now: https://www.greaterphlgrowth.com/sbcs.

The survey closes November 13, 2026.