Courtenay Harris Bond
Courtenay Harris Bond is the staff writer covering health for PhillyVoice. She enjoys writing about behavioral health, maternal health and inequities in the healthcare system, as well as human rights and criminal justice. A veteran daily newspaper reporter, Courtenay has also written for national outlets, including KFF Health News, Undark Magazine and Filter. She was a 2018 Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism and has master's degrees from Columbia Journalism School and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education.
April 18, 2024
Illness
32 years ago, Philly began using syringe exchanges to fight AIDS. With funding now in doubt, experts fear an HIV surge
Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell authorized the city's first needle exchange program in 1992 in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDs. New Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker plans to strip funding to syringe exchange programs despite research showing they reduce HIV/AIDs and hepatitis infections among drug users.April 17, 2024
Wellness
A new job benefit aims to help Philly workers improve their well-being
The 26,000 city workers in Philadelphia now have access to On the Goga, a corporate wellness platform that offers workshops on stress reduction, healthy recipes, desk yoga classes, guided meditation and other resources that encourage healthy lifestyles.April 16, 2024
Health Stories
A Temple Hospital worker needed a kidney transplant. When the call finally came, his colleague performed it
Julian Harmon, a perioperative services assistant at Temple University Hospital, received word that he was up for a kidney transplant in January 2023. Within hours, his colleague, Dr. Kenneth Chavin, was performing the surgery. One year later, they are sharing their story in hopes of inspiring more people to become organ donors.April 12, 2024
Illness
CDC investigates botulism-like illnesses linked to possibly fake Botox injections
People in several states have developed Botulism-like illnesses after receiving possibly fake Botox injections outside medical settings, prompting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the matter. Botulism can lead to serious illness and permanent injury as nerves attack the body.April 11, 2024
Caregiving
High caregiving costs have many Americans claiming their parents as dependents on their tax returns
More than half of adults 25 and older are claiming their parents as dependents on their 2023 tax returns, according to a new survey from Caring.com. Out of the survey respondents, 35% said that they were overwhelmed by their parents' medical expenses or debt. Additionally, 35% said they were supporting their parents financially because their parents couldn't afford senior living or care costs.April 10, 2024
Women's Health
A new UTI vaccine shows promise in preventing recurrent infections
A new urinary tract infection vaccine may offer an alternative to antibiotic treatment for recurrent UTIs, according to new research. The oral spray kept more than half of the participants in a study infection-free for nine years. The participants had previously suffered from repeated UTIs.April 10, 2024
Prevention
Social barriers prevent many women from getting regular mammograms
About one-third of women ages 50-74 facing at least three social barriers do not get regular mammograms, a new CDC study finds. Barriers include social isolation, life dissatisfaction, job loss, a lack of health insurance and transportation limitations. Women are recommended to get a mammogram every other year beginning at age 40.April 9, 2024
Prevention
Blood clots are common and can be deadly, but many Americans don't know enough about the risks
Deep vein thrombosis – a blood clot that occurs in deep veins – can break off and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, causing a blockage called a pulmonary embolism – which can be fatal. A blood clot prevention bill from U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester aims to raise national awareness about DVT/PE, and create more action and advocacy for its prevention.April 4, 2024
Illness
Eggs are safe to eat during the bird flu outbreak – as long as they're prepared properly
Cal-Maine Foods – the largest egg producer in the United States – detected avian influenza at one of its facilities in Texas. Health agencies say eggs are safe to eat as long as they are properly cooked. Eggs from infected chickens are very unlikely to wind up in the retail market. Proper storage and preparation of eggs further reduces the risk of contracting avian influenza.April 3, 2024
Adult Health
Temple eye doctor explains the dangers of looking at the sun during an eclipse
An ophthalmology professor at Temple University explains the dangers of looking at the sun without proper safety glasses during an eclipse, saying you could 'end up with a small blind spot where you've burned a hole or burned a scar into the retina.'Just In
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