'", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. Colonia High School entrance. Lupiano's sister, also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. 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. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). Rich Strack, who taught English and philosophy at Colonia for about 30 years, likened the situation to a dark cloud hanging over the school. That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. The brain tumor cases, appearing over a thirty-year period, are a significant medical mystery that has caused alarm for experts. "The results we have is not something the Department of Health, or DEP, or anyone, can rely on. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. To say he was concerned when he discovered all three of us grew up in the same neighborhood is an understatement. Legal Statement. However, overlooked during decontamination were traces of radioactive materials that had been carried offsite over the years by wind and rain to yards of neighboring homes. All of them graduated from Colonia High School, and they all have brain tumors, ABC7 reported. While I am thrilled to have the information coming in again, its also very troubling to see the numbers continue to grow. Facebook Colonia High School. This is alarming if true! 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. So she took matters into her own hands and found toxic chemicals linked to cancer as well as pesticides at the school. 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. 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. We did exactly what they wanted.. 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.. Over and over, the facts spoke for themselves all were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995. 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. "They kind of understand," Komorek said, adding her children have to start over with new classes, teachers and schoolmates. DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Legal Statement. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 Is the exposure ongoing? My wife fought like crazy. 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. Colonia High School was reportedly the common denominator among those suffering from the tumors Credit: CBS NEW YORK. 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. Parents like Dawn Genoni are willing to wait for those results -- at least at the time Genoni spoke to News 4 last month. 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. 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. That could look like presenting the public with clearer timelines of an investigations course of action, creating portals to gather community feedback and encouraging two-way communications from the start., After all, there has been a long history of patients serving as a critical warning system for epidemiology, with concerned residents having alerted public health officials to mercury poisoning diseases, birth defects caused by rubella, and toxic drinking water contaminants. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. This is a high bar to clear. or redistributed. Caitlyn Shelton. Komorek, who was hesitant about having her children, a junior and a freshman, at the high school, transferred them to another district school this week. I am currently organizing data to formulate my next steps. But she hopes the district will do more research. "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York Division. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. More say the information flow is sorely lacking. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. This is an urgent call for actionI have two leads I am exploring on what may have caused this, but I need your help! "This is only the tip of the iceberg. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 READ NEXT: Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. Thats 100 people with their life forever changed. 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. He received his . 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. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey . 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. My list currently stands at 90 cases. As luck would have it, my wife and sister where both assigned the same doctor to handle their treatment. In its first update to the guidelines since 2013 (which are expected to be finalized this year) the agency acknowledges that barriers to discovering and declaring true clusters remain. Earlier:Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school. (Google Maps). 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. In 1998 the Corps of Engineers recycled and disposed of the stockpiled steel. Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors. Keep the information coming! The sizes of neighborhood clusters are often too small to yield statistically significant results. Send Joe Votruba an email. The perception of a cluster in a community may be as important as, or more important than, an actual cluster, the C.D.C. Chu Vn An High School. While the death rate from cancer is dropping, thanks to improving treatments and early detection, the total number of cancer cases in the United States is expected to rise by 50 percent compared with 2015 cases, in large part because of aging populations. Dozens of former teachers and students have . 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. Colonia High School. All rights reserved. Market data provided by Factset. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. (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. The analysis can back with PCBs above federal and state standards as well as pesticides that were banned in 1988," she said. is continuing. 2021 DEADLIEST YEAR IN US HISTORY DUE TO COVID-19, DRUG OVERDOSES. Since cancer can take such a long time to manifest, evidence of what caused it has ample time to disappear. In 1999, the Corps prepared an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to address the Vicinity Property (VP) pile remaining at the site. I need your help Facebook. Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in New Tests at NJ School, Mom Says, Raising Concerns. 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. The school has stayed open, with local officials apparently telling parents that "at this time, there is no discernable health or wellness threat to students, staff, or visitors at Colonia High School," according to the petition writers. NJ high school linked to mystery cancer cases. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. And the soil was right below where the caulking is.". For public health officials, resolving this tension is the macro version of bedside manner: How do you reassure a frightened patient that nothings wrong? Print |. 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. Facebook That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. "Nothing indicates that the school building or property is unsafe," he added. WASHINGTON (AP) Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presented an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby . 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. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 03:42 PM EST. But, according to the Change.org petition launched Tuesday, complete results aren't even anticipated to be received until the end of May. It says. But Mr. Lupiano said he ultimately hopes one way or another to be assured that all is as it should be. With confirmed cases now at 61 we have an incidence of 61 out of approximately 10,000 individuals. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. Al Lupiano . 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. 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. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . 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. 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. Some people will not be convinced.. r indicating there were no radiological hazards at Colonia High School, Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school, 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 apparently developed brain tumors, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. A part of the campus is named for Pat Barbato - a longtime football coach . HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . Tech & Science Science Health and Medicine Brain Cancer. So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link? 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. 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. Lupiano has been posting lengthy updates to his Facebook page: 4/11 UPDATE: 100as of midnight Sunday 4/10, I recorded the 100th case of someone having a primary brain tumor. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. "We absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told NJ.com. On April 15, 2022, Lupiano wrote on Facebook. 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. Means we have an incidence of 61 out of approximately 10,000 individuals we absolutely have Concerns the... 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