"Colonia is not a mega high school. 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. I could go on. As of Thursday, Lupiano said he has confirmed 65 cases of people with rare brain tumors and they all are either Colonia High School graduates or had worked there, he says. Township officials have posted the radiological reports on the township website at www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us. 3 min read. This is definitely not normal.. He said he is specifically looking for anyone who graduated from or attend Colonia High School from approximately 1975 to 1995. Courtesy Al Lupiano. The investigation started earlier this year after a stunning number of cancer cases in people who had a connection to the school. Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com. In April, the township entered an emergency agreement with T&M Associates, of Middletown, for professional environmental engineering services for a radiological assessment of Colonia High in an amount not to exceed $221,350. He made a public plea on Facebook to anyone from the school who was diagnosed with primary brain tumors. Also, just on Monday Gov. A video posted on TikTok video by Dr. Joe Whittington, a board-certified doctor in California gave this issue much needed public attention. The institute predicts about 290,000 people will develop breast cancer in 2022 compared to 25,000 for brain cancer. Dozens of former teachers and. Lupiano started researching. A total of 104 former students and faculty with brain tumors responded to a Facebook post. Earlier this year, Colonia graduate Al Lupiano, also an environmental scientist, discovered more than 100 teachers and alums of the school who reported having brain tumors, drawing international attention to the community and sparking state and local investigations. Lupiano was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer) when he was 27 years old, about 25 years ago. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 1999. The ground and air testing will begin on Saturday. Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and faculty were found to have been diagnosed with. The New Jersey state Department of Health. "I had told my sister from the very beginning that there was too much of a coincidence that me, my wife and her all have the same tumor," he said. McCormac, along with schools Superintendent Joseph Massimino; Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; and Judith Persichilli, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, announced the results of the radiation testing during a press conference at CHS on May 26. He said, What are the odds of this? It's exceeding one in a billion that three people this closely tied together would all have brain tumors. There's a vast array of treatments, but again, we're dealing with so many different types of primary brain tumors here that they're all treated very differently. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. After discovering 94 former students and staff from Colonia High School which was built in 1967 had been diagnosed with rare brain tumors, Dr. Joseph Massimino, superintendent of . 100 former students, staff of Colonia High School in New Jersey say they have rare brain tumors. It should also be noted that not all the reports of primary brain tumors are cancerous. The conversation is available below. ", "We are taking this incredibly seriously," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac told Patch earlier this April, saying that he finds Lupiano's theory "quite credible and legitimate. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The mother, Edyta Komorek, who has worked as an environmental scientist since 2006, said she collected dust, window caulk and soil samples from Colonia that tested for excessive levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide all carcinogenic compounds that can lead to cancer and other diseases. Phil Murphy was asked by reporters for his thoughts on the possible brain cancer cluster at Colonia High. Lupiano, an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, picked up on a trend. "In addition, DEP's further review does not indicate sources of environmental exposures of concern to public health. Through his posts, Lupiano, CHS Class of 1989, wanted to find out if CHS is the cause of primary brain tumors that have affected more than 100 former students and staff. One former student, Al Lupiano, 50, was diagnosed with brain tumors in the 1990s but subsequently recovered, according to NJ.com. A cluster of over 100 rare brain tumors in the past 30 years sparks a health inspection at Colonia High School in New Jersey. He received his . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. The school was built in 1967 and currently serves roughly 1,300 students, the NY Post noted. It's just that rare. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? "There's lots and lots of people calling me, saying, 'Look, I didn't go to the high school, but I live a mile away, and we call our block cancer alley,'" he told Fox News. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," said Lupiano. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, Lawrence Township League of Women Voters announces 2022 leadership award winners, No criminal charges for Hillsborough police officer in 2021 fatal shooting, Vigil marks one-year anniversary of Ukrainian War. Lupiano also says people who did not attend the school but live nearby have gotten in touch with him to express their concerns. All rights reserved. ', * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts, AccuWeather: AM showers before a mild afternoon, Extra Time: Breaking down massive NYC, NYPD settlement, Teammate facing charges in crash that killed local UGA player. Obviously, everyone's praying and hoping for the best," said Colonia High School junior Julia Pagnozzi. Accordingly, no further testing or remediation is required or recommended at this time. A high school in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, is being investigated by environmental experts after reports of more than 100 former students and staff being diagnosed with brain tumors. "The EPA and CDC are not testing at Colonia High School," said Hagerty. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. All three family members attended Colonia High, the NY Post noted. "When I started looking into it, I quickly amassed 15 of our classmates with these rare brain tumors," he told NewsNation. She made it five years," said Jason Wisinski. LOS ANGELES (AP) More than a week after Tom Sizemore suffered a brain aneurysm, a representative says the actor's family is "now deciding end of life matters." "Today, doctors informed . The reports have been brought to the attention of local officials who are now looking into them. Google Maps. These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals.. A soil sample taken from near the northern wall of the school similarly indicated PCBs concentration of 575 mg/kg, exceeding the New Jersey Soil Remediation Standard. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The action (should) be undertaken immediately, due to high exceedances of the State and Federal regulatory standards for PCBs and pesticides, as well as the fact that PCBs and chlordane inhalation may be occurring by students and staff, Komorek stated in a letter to district officials. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. "It's alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor - malignant or benign, and it's serious. Environmental scientists are investigating reports of increased instances of brain tumors at Colonia High School in New Jersey. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com, this resolution approved at their April 5 meeting, Brain Tumor Link To Colonia High School 'Credible,' Town's Mayor Says. Rohit Ranjan. Additionally, T&M Associates has begun conducting historic site research to obtain any and all necessary records related to the construction of Colonia High School when it was built in 1967, through to the present. His name is on it, along with his wife and late sister. Lupianos wife was also diagnosed with a brain tumor, the NY Post reported. Concerns were raised by Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of Colonia High School, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor along with his wife Michele and sister Angela DeCillis, both of whom had also attended the school. But public health experts are cautioning against deeming the tumor cases a "cancer cluster" just yet. Qualifications: Current and valid New Jersey Registered Nurse license is required. 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. Image: Unsplash. The results will then be reviewed by federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency, plus the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health. Then making matters even worse, the same day that Michelle Lupiano (Al's wife) was diagnosed with her brain tumor, Al's sister Angela DeCillis was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. But we'd love to be able to rule out the school.". Several types of primary brain tumors, including cancerous forms like glioblastoma and noncancerous yet debilitating masses such as acoustic neuromas, haemangioblastomas and meningiomas, have been diagnosed, according to the outlet. The city of Woodbridge, NJ is conducting an investigation after more than 100 former students and staff at the local Colonia High School were found to have developed brain . After nearly 100 people who attended the same New Jersey high school developed rare brain tumors, an alumnus and cancer survivor is demanding answers. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address You can find glioblastoma, which are terminal. Lupiano, an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, believed it was a pattern. Lupiano has confirmed that he will not stop until he finds out what has happened here over the years at Colonia High School. ", "Just the sheer numbers of cases he's found is staggering," McCormac continued. "I need your help Facebook. No one knows exactly what it is. Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, Lupiano said. Lupiano said he started searching for instances of Colonia High graduates having brain tumors and was stunned to discover 15 people in total, with two newly discovered cases pending further . Superintendent Joseph Massiminio the district worked with representatives from the state Department of Environmental Protection, the state Department of Health, the federal Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Disease Control, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to discuss the matter, and that national firms T&M Associates and Cabrera Services were tasked with collecting data and conducting the necessary tests. Environmental engineering firm T+M Associates has been contracted by the township to test for radiation on the grounds of the high school, which was built in 1967. Is the school built on some kind of a dumpsite? All Rights Reserved. Lupiano has been able to confirm that 94 former students and staff of Colonia High School had developed brain tumors, as per coverage in New York Post. Matthew Stanmyre | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, found no traces of radiological contaminants. I don't trust anyone who says that nuclear plant was safe. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . Environmental engineers have been testing for radiation at Colonia High School in New Jersey after reports that over 100 former students and staff members were diagnosed with brain tumors. She said she collected a dust sample from the top of the stall in a womens bathroom inside Colonia on Aug. 30, then sent it to a state-certified laboratory in Mountainside for testing. This all came to fruition in August of last year, and it just startled Lupiano. All Rights Reserved. Theyre testing the air for radon. Woodbridge will not get preliminary test results until after this Saturday, April 23, said Hagerty. 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 cases. "It's not something done to us due to bad habits, said Lupiano. Are you a Colonia High School graduate that has been diagnosed with a brain tumor? "In conclusion, the results of the radiological investigation at the high school and grounds are within the normal variation of background radiation levels in New Jersey and are therefore not indicative of concern over radiological exposure to individuals at the site," state DEP Commisioner Shawn LaTourette wrote in a letter to the township. The mother of two Colonia High students who believed not enough environmental testing was done in the aftermath of reports of a possible brain tumor cluster connected to the school told NJ Advance . The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006, (RELATED: Video Shows Man Repeatedly Running Over Woman With SUV After Minor Incident). What steps are investigators taking to try to figure this out? I didnt feel that my kids were safe there until actual soil, groundwater and air samples were collected and nobody wanted to do it.. Federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. We contacted the author of the post, former student and former resident Al Lupiano, and offered to help, McCormac said. Stanmyre: Right now, the number this week is up to 117 people who have been found to have a primary brain tumor of some sorts, according to data from Al Lupiano, who is the Colonia graduate who has kind of spearheaded all of this. Luciano has reported his findings to Colonia High School. (RELATED: Video Shows Man Repeatedly Running Over Woman With SUV After Minor Incident). Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, Belvidere Jeep assembly plant shut down indefinitely, Chicago Weather: Cloudy and much cooler Thursday. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. In a mysterious story, a man from New Jersey named Al Lupiano found out that 100 people with uncommon cancers were linked to Woodbridge Township School District, Colonia High School. Earlier this year, Lupianos sister lost her battle with a very rare and highly aggressive malignant glioma brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) at age 44. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Concerns were raised by Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of Colonia High School, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor along with his wife Michele and sister Angela DeCillis, both of whom had. "We're just going to wait to find out. Theres no telling if they're going to find answers here. This is terrific news for current students of Colonia High School (CHS) and their parents who worried about their safety along with current staff members, Mayor John E. McCormac said. In a statement to CBS News, Lupiano said he is anxiously awaiting the results of the two-week-long radiological survey which concluded this weekend and he anticipates he will receive the results in weeks. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano is among 94 former students and staff from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, who have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors. The brain tumor cases, appearing over a thirty-year period, are a significant medical mystery that has caused alarm for experts. 94 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey are part of a cancer cluster of still unknown origin. She also requested the district embark on additional environmental testing. State health officials are now conducting an investigation into the cluster of 117 people. Just simple math in my head having a husband and wife with this tumor, which arent related and then to have my sister with a blastoma, I knew something was wrong, Lupiano says. ", First Patch report: Brain Tumor Link To Colonia High School 'Credible,' Town's Mayor Says, Get great local news about YOUR town and state. What I find alarming is theres truly only one environmental link to primary brain tumors and thats ionizing radiation. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. He started researching and made a public plea on Facebook to anyone from the school who was diagnosed with primary brain tumors. 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. It's not something in soil," Lupiano said to CBS News. Al Lupiano revealed he had a brain tumor 20 years ago, before his wife had one and so did his sister - who died in February aged just 44. Thanks to social media, Lupiano found a total of 104 former students and faculty with brain tumors - about half are cancerous. Listed on 2023-03-02. He emphasized that there's no need for residents in the community to go get emergency cancer imaging scans immediately. My MIL died of lung cancer. On additional environmental testing received information that my wife also had a connection to the attention local. 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