Was it the street or neighborhood where we grew up linking us? 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. And experts have been able to identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those. We understand that the state authorities will be forwarding this information to appropriate federal agencies," Massimino's letter states. Komorek said the school should be thoroughly tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials and soil. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance. . Colonia High School was reportedly the common denominator among those suffering from the tumors Credit: CBS NEW YORK. 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. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 people . Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare malignant brain tumors on the same day. To say he was concerned when he discovered all three of us grew up in the same neighborhood is an understatement. Is cancer spreading at a New Jersey high school? 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. (Gosselin Funeral Home) In August 2021, DeCillis received . Colonia High School in New Jersey has seen more than 100 students and staff diagnosed with cancer over the last 30 years. Several of these people have already died, according to Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano, who said he was diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in 1999 in a now-viral Facebook post. And once againI couldnt do this without your help!! Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The town announced in May that there were no traces of radioactivity found in the school. We all grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in Colonia. But not all carcinogens cause cancer every time. 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. is continuing. ", 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. People struggle to recall their past daily lives which seat they sat in during high school chemistry or where their drinking water came from five years ago. Since cancer can take such a long time to manifest, evidence of what caused it has ample time to disappear. He concedes no soil or dust samples were collected when the township conducted its own tests, but adds that Komoreks findings need further validation. Remedial Action in accordance with this ROD was completed in FY08. Frequently, in hazmat, you never find it in the first shot," Lupiano said. 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. Wish me luck! 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. 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. 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. Edyta Komorek is a professional environmental scientist. Keep the information coming! It is possible that soil from the plant had been trucked to Colonia High School during its construction in 1967, according to the NJ Spotlight. But Mr. Lupiano said he ultimately hopes one way or another to be assured that all is as it should be. WASHINGTON (AP) Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presented an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby . We have to accept the results.. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! (Al Lupiano). An investigation has . As previously stated, there is basically one medically proven cause of rare brain tumors like ours radiation. "It is not enough to address parents of operating school with suspected cancer cluster through written statements given to media outlets," the petition said. Some workers, such as miners and firefighters, are exposed to known carcinogens during their careers. But she hopes the district will do more research. The total minority enrollment is 53%, and 34% of students are economically disadvantaged. 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. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals. Over and over, the facts spoke for themselves all were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995. Print |. Also in the 1980s, the contaminated materials disposed of at the MML were excavated, brought back to the site and stored in a specially constructed pile, known as the MML pile. "I wasn't happy and I knew that they didn't do enough sampling, didn't test soil, groundwater tests for PCBs," Komorek said. 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. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. Market data provided by Factset. I have a really bad feeling we're going to find contamination beyond the high school. Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. 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. 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. Please, look at this. There are PCBs everywhere," he said. More than 100 former students and staff at the school have been diagnosed . Image: Unsplash. On April 10, Mr. Lupiano's list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. Tech & Science Science Health and Medicine Brain Cancer. On April 10, Mr. Lupianos list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. According to My Central New Jersey, the township has approved an emergency contract of $221,350 for an engineering firm to conduct radiological assessments at Colonia High School.. See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. Colonia High School entrance. 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. Its alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious. With no state regulations for PCBs in schools, she suggested Vermont state guidelines be followed for indoor air testing because they are more conservative than federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. 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 . 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. After some digging, a man who attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, discovered more than 100 former students and staff members had been diagnosed with the same sort . 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 all of us attended Colonia High School. High School Lost My Transcript 16 /r/applyingtocollege, 2023-02-20, 17:42:41 Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer . He was born in . 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 . All the testing, both by Komorek and the district, came after 108 people from over a period of three decades ending in the early 2000s who attended the school were diagnosed with brain tumors. Could that be the link? 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.. 3/21 UPDATE: I am scheduled to present my data to local, County, and State officials. In the case of Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply. I don't get that," he said. McCormac said both commissioners acknowledged they received the township's email and he hopes to hear back from them soon. PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. observed in 1990. "Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000," said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the . All rights reserved. I needed more data. 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. 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. Questions, corrections, or comments? 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. This is an urgent call for actionI have two leads I am exploring on what may have caused this, but I need your help! Lupiano believes theres a link between. The schools social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors. We did exactly what they wanted.. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. Facebook Why is this alarming? V Th Su High School. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? The answer? 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. 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. When childrens health and lives are at stake, we have a right to demand your full attention and transparency.". McCormac said he has seen Komorek's findings and consulted with the superintendent of schools. This now makes three of us in one family with primary brain tumors all on the left side. Market data provided by Factset. 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. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. The township does not have records dating back to 55 years ago, the site noted. Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in New Tests at NJ School, Mom Says, Raising Concerns. In April, Colonia High School in Colonia, New Jersey, made national headlines after more than 100 former students and staff reported online that they had been diagnosed with brain tumors, in a . 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 . So, why am I asking for help? Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. State your name, what you were diagnosed with, when, and what year you graduated CHS or worked there. Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. April 15, 2022 1:00 PM ET. The analysis can back with PCBs above federal and state standards as well as pesticides that were banned in 1988," she said. 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. The designation is the first, prerequisite step on the path toward a full-throated response, from investigation to cleanup and remediation and, potentially, legal recourse. 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. According to Fox News, getting scrutiny in the controversy is the now-closed Middlesex Sampling Plant, which is a half hour away from Colonia. The clients have to pay for the remediation. Legal Statement. 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 . "Nothing in the newly reported information has any bearing on the prior studies which determined last spring that no radiation was found inside or outside of Colonia High School," Massimino said in his letter, adding parents would be kept informed of a plan of action based on the advice of experts. Trinity was led by Mike Bednostin who had a game-high 24 points. 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 . If there are any potential environmental exposure pathways identified and a need for further environmental sampling, the state Health Department will work cooperatively with ATSDR to conduct a public health assessment and evaluate the potential for health effects. READ NEXT: Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. 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. All three of them have since come down with rare brain disorders. Mr. Lupianos list of former classmates and staff members at Colonia High School with primary brain tumors hit 100 in April. Officials also reviewed local data on naturally occurring radioactive deposits and followed up on reports of a radioactive rock discovered in a science classroom in 1997. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. During my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family have also been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . 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. Taking the next steps to begin the investigation. Several people raised questions to me about the state health departments analysis. And the soil was right below where the caulking is.". He, his wife, and his sister all attended the school in the '90s. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to . Email tips toaudrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants. "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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. Lng Th Vinh High School. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. So it's not unheard of. Updated Apr 17, 2022 at 4:10pm. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. 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