As of right now (I need a breakhave to put this down for the night), the list has swelled to 80 cases! Al Lupiano, a graduate of Colonia High School, tells Fox News Digital that since posting his theory about an apparent link between brain tumor diagnoses in 1990s and early 2000s graduates of . "I have full faith they will get to the bottom of this and they will figure out what is going on," she said at the time. WASHINGTON (AP) Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presented an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby . Also, records later revealed that in 1948, some radioactively contaminated materials had been trucked from the plant to the Middlesex Municipal Landfill (MML), one-half mile away. Al Lupiano, a graduate of Colonia High School, tells Fox News Digital that since posting his theory about an apparent link between brain tumor diagnoses in 1990s and early 2000s graduates of . ", The agencies continued: "The Department of Health will work with the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to provide an assessment of the potential health effects. We did exactly what they wanted.. This is 18 hours a day. Theres something special about cancer, said Richard Clapp, a cancer epidemiologist and a professor emeritus at Boston University. Yesthere is. Twenty-two years later, in 2021, doctors discovered that his wife, Michele, had a tumor, a benign acoustic neuroma on the left side of her brain. (In one scientific review of 428 cancer cluster investigations over 21 years, for example, just one in eight cases was a confirmed increase in cancer, and only one investigation revealed a definitive source.). More than 100 former students and staff at the school have been diagnosed . Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain Tumors, What Is Aphasia? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? The investigation wasnt thorough enough, residents argue, and didnt involve water testing or analysis of the soil beyond radiological tests. The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 producer, writer, and host Joe Votruba. Findings from an environmental review did not find any evidence of cancer-causing hazards at Colonia High School. $9 Million Contract from National Cancer Institute Awarded for NJ State Cancer Registry. Al Lupiano, a 1989 Colonia High School graduate, has developed a list of nearly 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school who have developed brain tumors.Lupiano's sister, a Colonia High School grad, died with a malignant brain tumor in February and both he and his wife, who also is a Colonia High School grad, developed brain tumors. My three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 98. She went inside the school in August to swipe dust samples from a bathroom, and returned a month later collecting samples outdoors, soil from the ground and caulk from a school window. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 03:42 PM EST. The study doesnt close anything. After meeting with Komorek, Massimino sent a notice to parents Monday about her results from additional environmental testing at the school. People who have been exposed to ionizing radiation have an increased risk of developing primary brain tumors, whether they are malignant or benign, according to the Mayo Clinic. Lng Th Vinh High School. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. We understand that the state authorities will be forwarding this information to appropriate federal agencies," Massimino's letter states. I discovered 15 people from our circle of friends and their family members and friends had been diagnosed with brain tumors! My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day I talk to her all the time, Wisinski said. Angela died from it. According to ABC7, one of the victims was a woman named Janice Wisinski, who died 10 years ago from an inoperable brain tumor while pregnant. "I don't think this is the end of the story. Ten L Man High School. In 1980s, the contaminated residential properties were cleaned up, and the excavated soil was stored at the site in a specially constructed pile, known as the Vicinity Properties (VP) pile. A former Woodbridge man has identified 84 Colonia High School alumni and former staffers with rare brain tumors and wants health officials to investigate. Rich Strack, who taught English and philosophy at Colonia for about 30 years, likened the situation to a dark cloud hanging over the school. Colonia High School is located in Colonia, New Jersey. The updates also move to de-emphasize statistical significance as the main criterion for investigating suspected cancer clusters in order to make more room for other criteria, such as mortality and electronic health record data, neighborhood patterns of cancer and even community-created lists of individuals with cancer diagnoses. The 110 people that Lupiano has counted on his list of former Colonia High School graduates have been diagnosed with cancerous or noncancerous primary brain tumors, meaning they originated in the brain. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. And, YESI most definitely DO! Komorek, who was hesitant about having her children, a junior and a freshman, at the high school, transferred them to another district school this week. Market data provided by Factset. But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. Brian Thompson reports. Schools Radiation Testing Underway At NJ School With Possible Cancer Link They are now doing radon air testing after a 1989 Colonia grad said he found a high number of brain cancers linked to the . Lupiano believes theres a link between. Dozens of former teachers and students have . ", "They tend to leave stuff behind, and that stuff tends to migrate from one location to another. Of the estimated 1,000 suspected cancer clusters reported to health departments each year, only a small fraction prove to be statistically significant cancer surges. Photo credit Google Street View. One month later, Mayor McCormac echoed this sentiment to me: Its frustrating that people who hoped that there was no radiation on the site now are upset that theres not, he said. EPA looking into cancer cluster tied to NJ high school. ", The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also said in a statement that it has "received information about the community's concerns related to Colonia High School and "will communicate with both the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Health as they investigate the matter.". This is alarming if true! Powered by. or redistributed. Im 99.99 percent convinced.. Their neurologist, who has been recognized as a global leader in neurosurgery by the World Federation of Neurological Societies, has treated and been involved with tens of thousands of brain tumors in his career. A scientist and mother is demanding answers after tests she conducted found cancer-causing toxins and materials were present at the school where more than 100 former students have since been diagnosed with brain tumors. Caitlyn Shelton. "My thoughts are we should look into it, but it's what you would expect if you texted caulking from a building built in the 1960s. Michael J. Prongay AGE: 52 Colonia Michael J. Prongay passed away on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at his home in the Colonia section of Woodbridge Township. It confers such chaos into the people who are affected by it.. I hope the state will treat the school the same way because now we have kids who are susceptible receptors involved, and the teachers too," she said. In the meantime, the investigation continues. ", Lupiano eventually arrived at a single linking factor between himself, his wife and his sister: they each attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge in the 1990s. Keeping my fingers crossed!! Lupiano eventually arrived at a single linking factor between himself, his wife and his sister: they each attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge in the 1990s. Radiological assessments will be conducted throughout the . Potentially contaminated soil had been removed from the Middlesex Borough property over the years,with some of the soil used for construction right around the time of the construction of Colonia High School. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". 3/21 UPDATE: I am scheduled to present my data to local, County, and State officials. I dont believe so as we all came from different parts of the Township. When childrens health and lives are at stake, we have a right to demand your full attention and transparency.". In 2016, Congress passed Trevors Law, named after a survivor of childhood brain cancer linked to a suspected cluster in Idaho deemed too small to study. A cancer survivor is vowing to untangle the twisted mystery of why almost 100 people associated with a New Jersey high school have developed "extremely" rare malignant brain tumors. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/cancer-cluster-colonia-woodbridge.html. The victims all went to Colonia High School in Woodbridge in New Jersey . Ive also started a sublist of what I am classifying as cases of interest due to several anomalies. Taking the next steps to begin the investigation. Is the exposure ongoing? He concedes no soil or dust samples were collected when the township conducted its own tests, but adds that Komoreks findings need further validation. Komorek said the school should be thoroughly tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials and soil. Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. Our meetings with the State and Feds. Remedial Action in accordance with this ROD was completed in FY08. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Lupiano, an environmental scientist who tested ground samples for toxins over the course of his 33-year career, has suggested that the school's grounds could be contaminated, pointing to Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant as a potential linking factor behind the 100-plus tumors. The Township of Woodbridge took the lead in the investigation, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for testing at a school that graduated roughly 15,000 people over the last 30 years. Cancer survivor Al Lupiano says more than 100 former Colonia High School attendees have been diagnosed with rare cancers on 'Cross Country.'#FoxNews #CrossCo. Very often the first time public health officials learn about a potential community health threat, said Dr. Morello-Frosch, is through community members themselves.. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. When faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope with an unbearable reality. Back in March, Colonia High graduate Al Lupiano posted his theory about possible links between brain tumors diagnoses among 1990s and early 2000s graduates of Colonia High and since then, he . Why? She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. Theres something there, in Colonia, Mr. Wisinski said. Casey returns to the Senate after cancer surgery 11 hours ago . Prove to us theres nothing, he said. Lupiano's quest for information took him to Facebook last month, and that list of people who went to or worked at Colonia High School - and have a primary brain tumor - is now closing in on 100 . Al Lupiano, a former Colonia High School student, Pop-punk band New Found Glory playing rare performance near NJ, The cast of Home Improvement what they look like now, Bristol Palin on the mend after 9th breast augmentation, There is now a 24-hour Rocky TV channel, Gisele Bundchens post-Tom Brady magazine cover fuels satanic panic, These Speciale meatballs named best balls in New Jersey, Reward yourself! That contaminated fill would have been spread all over this town from a point source that I've yet to identify that was illegally dumped back in the 40s, 50s and 60s," he said. Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. This is a high bar to clear. Earlier this year, 1989 Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano developed a list of more than 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school from the 1970s to 1990s who have . Several news agencies have reached out to me and I anticipate the completed articles and interviews will be released shortly. Rohit Ranjan. While I am thrilled to have the information coming in again, its also very troubling to see the numbers continue to grow. Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and facultywere found to have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors. Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. My main focus is still on determining if ionizing radiation is the cause of these tumor and other rare cancers. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. But, according to the Change.org petition launched Tuesday, complete results aren't even anticipated to be received until the end of May. . A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. "Nothing indicates that the school building or property is unsafe," he added. How was this possible? That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. I dont know if its because they have deemed this to not be news worthy or simply because my requests for help have fallen on deaf ears. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. But many in the community do not accept them. To say he was concerned when he discovered all three of us grew up in the same neighborhood is an understatement. "We and our children deserve more! Earlier this year, officials claimed that penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded . Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. Hold the phone in landscape mode. V Trng Ton High School. Here's What to Know About Bruce Willis' Diagnosis, The Wanted's Tom Parker Dies at 33 After Brain Tumor Battle, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. If I trusted those numbers, I would be relieved, and I would be happy, she said. Lupiano, who is also an environmental scientist, and his wife Michelle-- both graduates of the high school -- were diagnosed with benign brain tumors 20 years apart. Al Lupiano, a 1989 Colonia High School graduate, has developed a list of nearly 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school who have developed brain tumors.Lupiano's . Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to primary malignant brain tumors at the age of 38, became one of many convinced that a cluster a hyperlocal blight of cancer could explain why so many young residents were succumbing to tumors. Of special note: many are former CHS teachers and staff members who didnt live in Colonia, they just worked in the school. Send Joe Votruba an email. r indicating there were no radiological hazards at Colonia High School, Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school, developed a list of more than 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school from the 1970s to 1990s who have apparently developed brain tumors, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey . According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a true cancer cluster must be a greater-than-expected number of cancer cases of the same type of cancer or those proven to have the same cause, within a specific population over a set time. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! While there is no known direct correlation between this incident and the cluster of brain tumors that has emerged from former students and staff, it is worth noting the history of that area that could have potentially led to both incidents. "Seven weeks we've been waiting for them to take a drive from Edison [New Jersey] to Colonia, New Jersey. NJ high school linked to mystery cancer cases. The facility, which includes several buildings on 9.6 acres, was an entry point for African uranium ores known as pitchblende. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of the school, has identified 65 Colonia High graduates, including himself and two other members of his family, who have been diagnosed with an extremely rare brain cancer. Despite these odds, cancer cluster designations are considered crucial for both health officials interested in protecting public safety, and communities who fear theyve been exposed to cancer-causing agents. See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. "Every inch of Colonia High School from buildings to fields is being tested for radiation to determine if there is a link between the school and the number of cancer cases . Ultimately, if it isnt a radiation source that is causing these illnesses, Lupiano says other tests can be done to pinpoint a cause. It says. Every inch of Colonia High School, part of the Woodbridge Township School District, from buildings to fields, is being tested for radiation to determine if there is a link between the school and the number of cancer cases diagnosed amongst former students and staff. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. She sent them to independent laboratories and says the results were alarming. Some people will not be convinced.. Colonia High School. ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at (732)718-4753. Al Lupiano, a graduate of Colonia High School, tells Fox News Digital that since posting his theory about an apparent link between brain tumor diagnoses in 1990s and early 2000s graduates of Colonia High School including himself, his wife and his sister, who recently died of cancer on Facebook in March, he has gathered the names of at least 110 graduates with rare brain tumors. Ive done the leg work for them and gathered the data for the last 6 months. "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. During the freshman orientation for parents, she collected a dust sample inside a bathroom which came back positive for polychlorinated biphenyls also known as PCBs, which have been linked to cancer in humans. What happened in Woodbridge illustrates the need for these changes, especially those aimed at bolstering the relationship between a concerned community and the public health experts facing the difficult task of investigating a suspected cluster. A A. Sure, there's nothing inherently wrong with spending $11 on chicken tenders or $13 on a cocktail, but if you give yourself some extra time or have time to spare after the event, there are plenty of great food and drink options that all require less than a 20 minute walk. The schools social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors. DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. So she took matters into her own hands and found toxic chemicals linked to cancer as well as pesticides at the school. Phil Murphy told NJ.com the possible brain tumor cluster was disturbing but stressed it was too soon to make definitive conclusions about the cause. While I have spent countless hours gathering data, I simply havent had enough time to get others involved. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at ( 732 ).... Activate your digital account today into the people who are affected by it into her hands... Lives are at stake, we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000.! To help, please subscribe or activate your digital account today petition launched Tuesday, complete results n't... Displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes toxic chemicals linked to as... Received until the end of the soil beyond radiological tests sublist of what I am classifying as cases interest. Years, said Richard Clapp, a cancer cluster or a coincidence something... 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