He concedes no soil or dust samples were collected when the township conducted its own tests, but adds that Komoreks findings need further validation. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. WOODBRIDGE Environmental testing earlier this year indicating there were no radiological hazards at Colonia High School, despite a growing list of former students who had developed brain cancers, wasn't enough to convince one mother that more testing shouldn't be done. 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. World News Posted by Amit Chaturvedi Updated: April 15, 2022 12:33 pm IST. At the time I was seeking treatment, my oncologist/neurosurgeon was astounded that someone my age (I was 27) had a tumor so large. Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . We all of us attended Colonia High School. As previously stated, there is basically one medically proven cause of rare brain tumors like ours radiation. In Woodbridge and elsewhere, unresolved concerns regardless of whether more can be done, scientifically can seed deep distrust and suspicion in suspected cluster communities. But many in the community do not accept them. An estimated 165,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during January 2023, 14 percent above last month but down 17 percent from the January 2022 placements. Thats 100 people with their life forever changed. If you are willing, please record a short video on your phone of yourself talking about your issue. Keep it to 30 seconds or less. They asked us to do this, and we did it. In 1999, I too was diagnosed with a very rare brain tumor on my left side. Above, Jason Wisinski, with his daughter, Haylee, lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to primary brain tumors. He was 52 years old. His most recent Facebook update, as of April 17, 2022, says that he has identified 102 cases. For public health officials, resolving this tension is the macro version of bedside manner: How do you reassure a frightened patient that nothings wrong? The victims all went to Colonia High School in Woodbridge in New Jersey . Of the 120 or so known carcinogens, some are inescapable, like sunshine, engine exhaust, air pollution or the asbestos still embedded in millions of older buildings. ", 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. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. All rights reserved. In 1997, the contaminated process building was demolished, and the steel stockpiled for recycling. But, according to the Change.org petition launched Tuesday, complete results aren't even anticipated to be received until the end of May. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Market data provided by Factset. We need them to investigate the issue and if possible, deal with the cause. Find Us . 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. More than 100 former students and staff at the school have been diagnosed . Three weeks ago, I made a promise to my beloved sister on her deathbed I will uncover the truth! According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. It was Lupiano, who is an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, who started connecting the dots. Email tips toaudrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Is the exposure ongoing? Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. There could be a real problem here, and our residents deserve to know if there are any dangers, Woodbridges mayor, John McCormac, said in April. 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. What we were not prepared for was for the state to say, Were satisfied, after doing one simple test, Mr. Lupiano said. 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. Powered by. Our meetings with the State and Feds. "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. Colonia High School is located in Colonia, New Jersey. There never was a cancer cluster, Mr. McCormac said in June. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS. All of them graduated from Colonia High School, and they all have brain tumors, ABC7 reported. 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. Remedial Action in accordance with this ROD was completed in FY08. He received his . Could that be the link? "One hundred out of 15,000 have brain cancer -- sure sounds like something we should be concerned about," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac has said. At least one epidemiologist I spoke to for this article told me that, just glancing at the numbers, he wasnt surprised that public officials have determined Colonia was not a true cluster. Questions, corrections, or comments? "They are all causing cancer.". "We and our children deserve more! They can find reasons to doubt. For those who dont know me, my name is Al Lupiano and I graduated CHS class of 89. (Google Maps). 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. "That was a red flag," said Komorek who also collected a caulk sample from outside the school and soil samples, both of which also came back for PCBs. As first reported on New Jersey 101.5, Al Lupiano, a former Colonia High School student, was the one responsiblefor linking the people together. We recognized that communication guidance was an area that warranted attention, said Patrick Breysse, director of the C.D.C.s National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in an email statement. 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. 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 . Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. After meeting with Komorek, Massimino sent a notice to parents Monday about her results from additional environmental testing at the school. Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in New Tests at NJ School, Mom Says, Raising Concerns. "So if that's the case, that could explain why we have pockets of these rare cancers all over Woodbridge Township.". 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. If you are or know of a friend, family member, or teacher that was diagnosed with a PRIMARY brain tumor, please contact me. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. It opens up more questions, more doubts, more anxieties, more concerns, he said. 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. And, YESI most definitely DO! '", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. The town announced in May that there were no traces of radioactivity found in the school. I needed more data. After 2nd grade, my wife attended parochial school until high school, where she attended CHS. "I wasn't happy and I knew that they didn't do enough sampling, didn't test soil, groundwater tests for PCBs," Komorek said. Since discovering three individuals in my family were diagnosed with very rare brain tumors, and all about the same size and on the same side of our head, I needed to find a link. Over and over, the facts spoke for themselves all were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995. Some people will not be convinced.. State your name, what you were diagnosed with, when, and what year you graduated CHS or worked there. In addition to leaning less heavily on statistical significance, the federal agencys new updates also call for an evolution in the interpersonal aspects of a cluster investigation. Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist and parent with two children enrolled at the school, met on Monday with Superintendent of Schools Joseph Massimino, Colonia High School Principal Kenneth Pace and the president of the Woodbridge Township Education Association to discuss findings of some testing she had done at the school. While generally only life threatening if left untreated, radiation and surgical removal typically leaves individuals with numerous debilitations including chronic headaches, balance issues, fatigue, deafness, slurred speech, inability to blink, and facial paralysis (to name only a few), and that assumes it doesnt begin to regrow in the future. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links, Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? His . Since posting this a few days ago, the current number of confirmed (as of 1900 hours, 3/14) has now grown to 61 individuals. Aside from being the home of the NHL's NJ Devils, they also attract major music acts ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Fall Out Boy to Justin Bieber. Any opinions expressed are his own. On April 15, 2022, Lupiano wrote on Facebook. I have made this shareable from my personal page if you would like to sharethank you for your assistance! The total minority enrollment is 53%, and 34% of students are economically disadvantaged. How was this possible? All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. 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. The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 producer, writer, and host Joe Votruba. More say the information flow is sorely lacking. PCBs are Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production of which has been banned since 1979. Colonia High School cancer probe -- test results expected? About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. Was it the street or neighborhood where we grew up linking us? And thats not the case. The Department of Health responded to the incident saying: We learned that one of the school's science teachers was demonstrating the use of a geiger counter (along with an accompanying sample of a low level radioactive source) as part of a science class lesson earlier that day. The Woodbridge town council spent $221,000 to deploy 83 radon testing devices and conduct radiological testing at the school building and encircling 28-acre campus. The draft guidelines promote listening skills and empathy on the part of state and local health department representatives, the sharing of information upon which decisions are made, and developing communication plans in advance of concerns being raised to build trust and credibility, said Dr. Breysse. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. The soil sample also contained some pesticides. That kind of follow-up could have the opposite effect, said Shawn LaTourette, New Jerseys commissioner of environmental protection, and send the wrong message that the suspicions deserved any more resources than what had already been invested. Dose, too, is a major factor. (two newly discovered cases are pending further investigation). His wife was similarly diagnosed with a malignant AN tumor, and his sister was diagnosed with malignant Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), which has an incident rate of 30 out of every 1 million people. When faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope with an unbearable reality. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. According to My Central New Jersey, the mayor said the school site was vacant land until the school was built in 1967, so he believes there is little chance anything was in the ground before then, but if there is anything on site, it could have come from fill during the construction phase.. . Komorek said some studies suggest a relationship between exposure to PCBs and a greater risk of developing brain tumors. The answer? Even if evidence is black and white, its hard to convince people of something they arent prepared to believe, said Robert Laumbach, a professor of public health at Rutgers University who is leading a federal study of forever chemicals in Gloucester County, in southwestern New Jersey. Beyond the adoption of genomic testing, which might identify a telltale genetic signature among patients with the same kind of cancer, no technological fix yet promises to address these problems. "[W]e have really solid data on primary brain tumors because of what we learned after World War Two, what we learned after Chernobyl," Lupiano explained. My wife fought like crazy. This is 18 hours a day. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. McCormac said both commissioners acknowledged they received the township's email and he hopes to hear back from them soon. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. 3/31 UPDATE: Thanks to all of you, the post has gone viral. Why would they include classes as recent as 2021 when we know many cancers take decades or longer to develop? Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? "People have to stop using the word cancer cluster. 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. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. My three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 98. I discovered 15 people from our circle of friends and their family members and friends had been diagnosed with brain tumors! "Once again we will work with the school district through our health department and our environmental consultants and make contact with the state Departments of Environmental Protection and Health to help evaluate what we were presented with and decide on a future course of action," said Mayor John E. McCormac. A part of the campus is named for Pat Barbato - a longtime football coach . In a conversation with NJSpotlight, Al Lupiano said that asecret World War II lab in Middlesex Borough, called the Middlesex Sampling Plant, is said to have been used during the Manhattan Project,a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000," said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the . 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. Radiation tests are being carried out at a New Jersey high school where over 100 former students and staff are reported to have developed brain tumors and cancerand the . Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. 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 . And once againI couldnt do this without your help!! Font Size: Ninety-four former staff members and students from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, have developed an "extremely" rare form of malignant brain tumor, leading local officials to approve an emergency probe of the school Tuesday. 3/29 UPATE: The list has continued to grow, and now stands at 65 individuals. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". 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. Others told NJ.com they want a remote learning option until the investigation is complete. A cluster of brain tumors in people associated with a single New Jersey high school, Colonia High School, is causing concern. (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. Marion Renault is a health and science journalist. Cancer does not awaken all at once. Some depend on the type of exposure, others unleash carcinogenesis only in people with the right genetic predisposition. I never in my worst nightmare envisioned ever hitting this milestone. It says. MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Search warrants unsealed Tuesday revealed more about what police were looking for, and what . There are hundreds more probable carcinogens of varying ubiquity under study, such as pesticides, parasites, night shifts and indoor fires. 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. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/cancer-cluster-colonia-woodbridge.html. Brian Thompson reports. Nearly 100 Former Students and Staff From Colonia High School Develop Brain Tumors Findings from an environmental review did not find any evidence of cancer-causing hazards at Colonia High School. Further explanation of what occurred at that high school over these decades of people being in the building," Lupiano said. ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at (732)718-4753. I have requested a discussion with the Department of Health, and if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies. "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. Colonia Park Mall in court over $200,000 in bills On April 10, Mr. Lupianos list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. Contaminated process building was demolished, and now stands at 65 individuals acknowledged they received the Township 's email he... It was too soon to make definitive conclusions about the cause the truth scientist and industrial engineer who... Three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 34 % of students are economically.... The list has continued to grow, and we did it by Chaturvedi... Possible, deal with the Department of Health, and host Joe Votruba cancer cluster, McCormac... 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