Mr. Lupianos list of former classmates and staff members at Colonia High School with primary brain tumors hit 100 in April. The New Jersey Departments of Health (DOH) and Environmental Protection (DEP) say they are involved in an investigation into the apparent cancer cluster, though Lupiano says he has not received requests for information from either agency. Despite the number of cases, officials first have to determine if scientific evidence indeed indicates a connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. Brian Thompson reports. My wife and I have known each other since meeting in grade school (Lynn Crest). High School Lost My Transcript 16 /r/applyingtocollege, 2023-02-20, 17:42:41 Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer . As previously stated, there is basically one medically proven cause of rare brain tumors like ours radiation. 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. HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . 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. Legal Statement. I need your help Facebook. My main focus is still on determining if ionizing radiation is the cause of these tumor and other rare cancers. DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. At the Colonia High School news conference in May, reporters pressed a panel of state experts on the decision not to test water and soil, even if just to reassure concerned community members that there was nothing there. T+M Associates, an environmental engineering firm, was asked to investigate a link between the school and brain cancer last month. Even so, these constraints do not relieve public health departments from their duty to do all they can to address their constituents concerns even if they cant deliver definitive answers and even if they are under strain themselves. COLONIA, N.J. - Radiation tests are being done at Colonia High School in New Jersey after more than 100 people were diagnosed with rare brain tumors. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Lupiano started the quest for answers, using Facebook to compile similar cases of people who worked or were students at Colonia High School. Komorek said sources of PCB in the school could include window, door or sink caulk, floor tile glue, paint, fluorescent light ballasts, expansion joints, concrete and mortar, materials which can emit PCBs into indoor air. It was an entry point for uranium ores that were "imported for use in the nations early atomic energy program, were assayed at the Middlesex Sampling Plant and then shipped to other sites for processing," according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York Division. His . The states environmental agency confirmed that the water company which does not use water from ground wells known to be pollution-prone serving the area had not had any violations for radiological contaminants since at least 2004. 3/29 UPATE: The list has continued to grow, and now stands at 65 individuals. 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. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. New Brunswick, N.J., April 27, 2021 - The New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR), under the direction of the State Department of Health in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a seven-year, $9,085,109 contract (75N91021D00009) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI . The natural world can also pose a threat via volcanic ash or toxin-spewing fungi. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. It was an entry point for African uranium ores known as pitchblende that were imported for use in the nations early atomic energy program, were assayed at the Middlesex Sampling Plant and then shipped to other sites for processing, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York Division. My three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 98. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. And thats not the case. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). Some depend on the type of exposure, others unleash carcinogenesis only in people with the right genetic predisposition. Facebook "Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000," said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the . State your name, what you were diagnosed with, when, and what year you graduated CHS or worked there. medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. Among other things, the law calls for periodic updates to federal cluster investigation guidelines work that the C.D.C., compelled by the legislation, began in 2018. The same day my sister was diagnosed (August 2021), I received the devastating news my wife Michele (nee Zawada) also has a very large (3.0 cm), very rare brain tumor called an Acoustic Neuroma (aka Vestibular Schwannoma) on her left side. Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . Colonia High School in New Jersey has seen more than 100 students and staff diagnosed with cancer over the last 30 years. Wish me luck! All three had attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge, in central New Jersey, and soon enough, Mr. Lupiano began asking on Facebook and on a local news site if any other graduates had similar diagnoses. And when do you need to check your own biases and take patients concerns more seriously? Any opinions expressed are his own. The television station reported that testing is ongoing. Market data provided by Factset. After the CBS Channel 2 News airing, the summarized radio broadcast on CBS 880, and the NJ 101.5 coverage, my phone has not stopped ringing. Send Joe Votruba an email. That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. It says. Parents like Dawn Genoni are willing to wait for those results -- at least at the time Genoni spoke to News 4 last month. They have to stop its not that, not going to be that. A nationwide constellation of state cancer databases was put in place in 1992, but these cancer registries often fail to account for changes in residency. (Google Maps), "Our agencies are aware of the concerns raised by local residents, particularly as they relate to Colonia High School, and are partnering with Mayor McCormac and Woodbridge Township to better understand the issue and determine whether any relevant environmental exposure concerns are present at the site," the DOH and DEP said in a joint statement. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. Findings from an environmental review did not find any evidence of cancer-causing hazards at Colonia High School. Could that be the link? He was 52 years old. Instead, an amalgam of carcinogens, genetic predispositions, social factors, lifestyle choices, natural aging and the random chance of spontaneous mutation sets it off, bit by bit, year by year, even decade by decade. 3/25 UPDATE: The meetings with County, State, and Federal agencies are going well. Lupiano, his wife . 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. Thats why scientists and responders bear a great responsibility when it comes to helping citizens navigate uncertainty around a disease like cancer, which on its own can feel random and inexplicable. 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 . 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. Colonia High School cancer probe -- test results expected? Both sisters graduated from Colonia High School, just like Al Lupiano in 1989, his wife Michelle in 1991, and his sister, Angela Decillis in 1995. Between August 1999 and November 1999, the Corps disposed of 35,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the VP pile. "Im not sure what they will propose, but I hope this is going to include comprehensive soil, ground, water (testing)," she said. said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac. "I wasn't happy and I knew that they didn't do enough sampling, didn't test soil, groundwater tests for PCBs," Komorek said. As luck would have it, my wife and sister where both assigned the same doctor to handle their treatment. Parents of students at Colonia High School wonder if the 1960s-era building is contaminated with mercury or formaldehyde. 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 tumours. I dont believe so as we all came from different parts of the Township. '", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. During my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family have also been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. At the time, medium lifespan for her type of tumor was 18 months. "The medical journals are rich with data supporting ionizing radiation causes brain tumors. Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. I am currently organizing data to formulate my next steps. So when officials declared earlier this year that ground penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded there was no dangerous or carcinogenic radiation there, she took matters into her own hands. More than 100 former students and staff at the school have been diagnosed . The agencies acknowledged their concerns regarding the potential cancer cluster, but are not conducting any testing aside from radiation and radon that the Township undertook, even though the school remains open. 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. And once againI couldnt do this without your help!! As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. Hng Vng High School. I will not rest until I find the answer! "If we can enrich science by showing that an unknown compound is in high concentration and link it to primary brain tumors, maybe we can protect others, remove it from our environment to make sure it never happens again," he said. Marion Renault is a health and science journalist. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. 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 . The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. After 2nd grade, my wife attended parochial school until high school, where she attended CHS. Updated Apr 17, 2022 at 4:10pm. V Trng Ton High School. Why would they include classes as recent as 2021 when we know many cancers take decades or longer to develop? 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. They weren't taken by a licensed remediation specialist, so I assume our consultants are going to come up with a plan to do some testing, but it will be official by state and federal testing," the mayor said. Some people will not be convinced.. ", 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. The onset of brain tumors in more than one hundred people who attended or worked at Colonia High School in New Jersey has continued to baffle experts. So it's not unheard of. New Jersey dad fights to have daughter returned to the U.S. NJ state budget delivers another crushing blow to residents (Opinion), Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and EEO Report. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fellow graduates from the Woodbridge Township school developed the same rare brain tumor and graduated between the years 1975 to 1995. All rights reserved, concluded there was no dangerous or carcinogenic radiation there, 107 Cases of Brain Tumors Led to Investigation at NJ High School: Mayor Announces Results, Study of NJ HS at Center of Cancer Cluster Mystery Shows No Radioactivity: Mayor, Grad Inks Deal to Bring Free Brain Scans to NJ Community in Cancer Cluster Mystery, 108 people from over a period of three decades ending in the early 2000s, no traces of radioactivity found in the school, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. Three have been diagnosed with primary brain tumors like ours radiation Facebook to compile similar cases of people who or! Tumors hit 100 in April she attended CHS: 732-574-2575 findings from an environmental did... Handle their treatment my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and have. Yards of contaminated soil contained within the VP pile News 4 last month the!. 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