Send to me ASAP by PM (FB Messenger)we would like to put this on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt TONIGHT! Trng Vng High School. A former Woodbridge man has identified 84 Colonia High School alumni and former staffers with rare brain tumors and wants health officials to investigate. 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. 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. Local and federal environmental agencies say they are assisting the town of Woodbridge, New Jersey, in its investigation into more than 100 graduates of the same high school that have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors. According to the Associated Press, a simple classroomdemonstrationof a Geiger counter resulted in panic when the radiation detectorshowed troubling results when a loud clamor was heard over a rock. More than 100 people who graduated from Colonia High School have developed brain cancer. Lupiano, his wife . Chu Vn An High School. Its unclear whether any of those questions will ever be answered, and if they are, how residents would receive the responses. 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. We have to really take a look at it, said Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac to ABC 7. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/cancer-cluster-colonia-woodbridge.html. It is his belief my wife and I may be the first documented case of spouses having an AN, both roughly the same size and on the same side of the headaccording to him, the odds are maybe 1 in a BILLION. Al Lupiano, his sister and his wife are among the 115 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey that he has determined have had a brain tumor. Because the school remains open, we demand greater urgency to find out if potentially harmful substances are harming our children and staff at Colonia High School.". My wife fought like crazy. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links, Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . After Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister developed brain tumors, he reached out to former classmates at their New Jersey high school to see if they had similar problems. 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. "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. My main focus is still on determining if ionizing radiation is the cause of these tumor and other rare cancers. Since posting this a few days ago, the current number of confirmed (as of 1900 hours, 3/14) has now grown to 61 individuals. They asked us to do this, and we did it. While I have spent countless hours gathering data, I simply havent had enough time to get others involved. Secondary brain tumors, which originate elsewhere in the body and then spread to the brain, are more common. 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. The high school was evacuated and a HAZMAT team secured the rock in a lead-lined box. Our children and Colonia High School staff deserve more involvement of the State and Federal agencies. Some depend on the type of exposure, others unleash carcinogenesis only in people with the right genetic predisposition. Dose, too, is a major factor. 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. . Prove to us theres nothing, he said. For the past six months, Ive spent hundreds of hours scouring the internet and speaking to people about brain tumors. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. I am currently organizing data to formulate my next steps. (two newly discovered cases are pending further investigation). Al Lupiano, a graduate of the high school, believes there's a link between Colonia High School and brain tumors diagnosed in 108 people over a period of three decades, ending in the early 2000s. Colonia High School is located in Colonia, New Jersey. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . In Woodbridge and elsewhere, unresolved concerns regardless of whether more can be done, scientifically can seed deep distrust and suspicion in suspected cluster communities. McCormac said he has seen Komorek's findings and consulted with the superintendent of schools. In addition the Corps disposed of 33,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the (MML) pile. By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. But this isn't the first time the high school has had questions about the radiation levels in the area. Warning signs of bile duct cancer; 4 mins ago China's real estate market in 'thirst' for credit; 5 mins ago 3 lonely constellations have companions, difficult ones have someone to show the way; 6 mins ago Le Quang Liem won a beautiful victory against the Filipino-American chess prodigy; 8 mins ago Concerned about the agency to settle land . By the time you see a tumor in a mammogram, it may be that that tumor has been growing for six years, said Rachel Morello-Frosch, a professor of public health at the University of California, Berkeley. We did exactly what they wanted.. And thats not the case. His sister Angela Decillis graduated . 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. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. Im 99.99 percent convinced.. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. (Google Maps). 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. According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. Even more troubling? 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. Ive reached out to both the news and local newspapers, but have not received any interest. Caitlyn Shelton. 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. Of the number placed in January, 18 percent weighed less than 600 pounds, 24 percent weighed from 600 to 699 pounds, 27 percent weighed from 700 to 799 pounds, 18 percent weighed 800 . Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. The New Jersey cancer registry offers little help, since not everyone who went to or worked at Colonia still lives in Woodbridge, and not everyone in Woodbridge went to Colonia. 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. On the same day, his sister, Angela, learned she had a fast-growing malignant tumor, also on the left side of her brain. "The results we have is not something the Department of Health, or DEP, or anyone, can rely on. This helps explain why cluster investigations so often fail to arrive at a satisfying conclusion. "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. Here are the best chocolates in New Jersey. Photo credit Google Street View. I have made this shareable from my personal page if you would like to sharethank you for your assistance! 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. 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. In 1998 the Corps of Engineers recycled and disposed of the stockpiled steel. 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. Brian Thompson reports. Its very hard to pinpoint what it is that initiated that process.. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 11:29 AM EST. So she took matters into her own hands and found toxic chemicals linked to cancer as well as pesticides at the school. 3/25 UPDATE: The meetings with County, State, and Federal agencies are going well. Send Joe Votruba an email. But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. READ NEXT: Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. His most recent Facebook update, as of April 17, 2022, says that he has identified 102 cases. In 1999, the Corps prepared an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to address the Vicinity Property (VP) pile remaining at the site. RWJBarnabas Health and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac. Ultimately, if it isnt a radiation source that is causing these illnesses, Lupiano says other tests can be done to pinpoint a cause. I am asking for your help! For public health officials, resolving this tension is the macro version of bedside manner: How do you reassure a frightened patient that nothings wrong? "Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000," said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the . As of right now (I need a breakhave to put this down for the night), the list has swelled to 80 cases! 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. The schools social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors. Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 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. My wife and I have known each other since meeting in grade school (Lynn Crest). Youre looking for footprints in the sand long after the tide has come and gone, said Dr. Clapp. I have requested a discussion with the Department of Health, and if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies. A A. Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. We all of us attended Colonia High School. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. State your name, what you were diagnosed with, when, and what year you graduated CHS or worked there. Above, Jason Wisinski, with his daughter, Haylee, lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to primary brain tumors. 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. 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. Could that be the link? 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 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, said Lupiano to ABC 7. That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. As previously stated, there is basically one medically proven cause of rare brain tumors like ours radiation. The site received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores from the 1940s until 1967, at which time the facility was decontaminated to the standards in effect at the time. 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. Find Us . 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. This now makes three of us in one family with primary brain tumors all on the left side. Since the previously stated incident rate of GBM and AN is 10-30 out of 1,000,000, the rate of CHS brain tumors is 30,000 out of 1,000,000. 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. The states health department calculated it would be statistically ordinary for about 120 former students and staff members to have developed brain tumors in the decades since the school was built in 1967. 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. According to Tapinto.net, Colonia High opened in 1967, built on woodland property near the Garden State Parkway, in the communitys estate section, surrounded by residential neighborhoods.. She stressed more testing needs to be done on the schools East Street property to see if there are other sources of possible contamination, such as fill material, illegal past discharges, or contamination from other sites. T+M Associates, an environmental engineering firm, was asked to investigate a link between the school and brain cancer last month. But some still want more. Several people raised questions to me about the state health departments analysis. 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.. Tech & Science Science Health and Medicine Brain Cancer. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. 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