He was born in . 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. The plant then "decontaminated to the standards in effect at the time," though "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," the USACE New York Division said on its website. 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. 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. "The medical journals are rich with data supporting ionizing radiation causes brain tumors. 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. The school was one of the first buildings constructed there and has since been expanded. Komorek said the school should be thoroughly tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials and soil. There are PCBs everywhere," he said. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals. Colonia Park Mall in court over $200,000 in bills In the case of Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply. 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. An investigation has . 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. A Record of Decision (ROD) for Soils was signed September 2005. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 11:29 AM EST. 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. "The results we have is not something the Department of Health, or DEP, or anyone, can rely on. Im working on a big piece for Vice News which will air on their network in a week or two, and the Star Ledger is running a multipage story which should drop this Sunday. 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. The investigation wasnt thorough enough, residents argue, and didnt involve water testing or analysis of the soil beyond radiological tests. Thats 100 people with their life forever changed. We did exactly what they wanted.. The Middlesex Sampling Plant is located at 239 Mountain Avenue in Middlesex, New Jersey. (two newly discovered cases are pending further investigation). 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. 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 tumours. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. ", The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also said in a statement that it has "received information about the community's concerns related to Colonia High School and "will communicate with both the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Health as they investigate the matter.". Hold the phone in landscape mode. And when do you need to check your own biases and take patients concerns more seriously? 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 . Something Is Wrong Here. More Than 100 Local Residents Had Brain Tumors, but What Was the Cause? Casey returns to the Senate after cancer surgery 11 hours ago . Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. "Im not sure what they will propose, but I hope this is going to include comprehensive soil, ground, water (testing)," she said. Dr. Marc Siegel discusses brain tumors that emerged among former Colonia High School students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'. Any opinions expressed are his own. This now makes three of us in one family with primary brain tumors all on the left side. 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. 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. ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at (732)718-4753. '", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. (Gosselin Funeral Home) In August 2021, DeCillis received . Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. As part of the demonstration, the teacher used theinstrument to test a collection of rocks stored in the closet of the science class when one of the rocks registered a reading of radioactivity. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In 2016, Congress passed Trevors Law, named after a survivor of childhood brain cancer linked to a suspected cluster in Idaho deemed too small to study. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of the school, has identified 65 Colonia High graduates, including himself and two other members of his family, who have been diagnosed with an extremely rare brain cancer. We need action! Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. A A. In the meantime, Komorek has taken her own two daughters out of Colonia High School, but the mayor cautions against calling it a cancer cluster. So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link? The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. 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. The victims all went to Colonia High School in Woodbridge in New Jersey . 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. When the state health department calculated the number of brain and other nervous system tumors that would be expected among the cohort of students and staff from 1968 to 2021, it concluded it could be up to 120 individuals just slightly under Mr. Lupianos count of about 125 (though he believes his tally is an undercount). 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. Federal investigations take place: An investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency is being done to determine whether these 100-plus cases are a cancer cluster, or simply a coincidence, Fox News reported. Twenty-two years later, in 2021, doctors discovered that his wife, Michele, had a tumor, a benign acoustic neuroma on the left side of her brain. Secondary brain tumors, which originate elsewhere in the body and then spread to the brain, are more common. Its alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious. The Woodbridge School District superintendent at the time then added: Radioactivity is ubiquitous in the environment. A consultant will be testing the grounds at Colonia High School, New Jersey, amid concerns that the school is linked to a high rate of rare brain cancers. Lupiano, his wife . A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. "We absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told NJ.com. 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. observed in 1990. Brian Thompson reports. 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. But not all carcinogens cause cancer every time. World News Posted by Amit Chaturvedi Updated: April 15, 2022 12:33 pm IST. Questions, corrections, or comments? In 1999, the Corps prepared an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to address the Vicinity Property (VP) pile remaining at the site. These tumors usually grow at 1 mm per yearAt 3.6 cm, my AN tumor appeared to have grown at an unprecedented rate (I had an MRI of the neck and brain a few years earlier for an unrelated issue and the tumor was not present). Lupiano, an environmental scientist who tested ground samples for toxins over the course of his 33-year career, has suggested that the school's grounds could be contaminated, pointing to Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant as a potential linking factor behind the 100-plus tumors. A few weeks ago, we very suddenly and tragically lost my 44-year-old sister Angela (CHS-95) to a very rare and highly aggressive malignant glioma brain tumor (Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM)) discovered on her left side. 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. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. Advocates for an official investigation into fears of a "cancer cluster" at the Middlesex County high school say there are parallels to the notorious water system contamination in the Ocean County town that was blamed for more than 130 cases of childhood cancer in the 1990s. "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. Here are some tips. More than 200 people have signed an online petition demanding a public meeting with state officials in New Jersey and federal authorities over concerns about a medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. What happened in Woodbridge illustrates the need for these changes, especially those aimed at bolstering the relationship between a concerned community and the public health experts facing the difficult task of investigating a suspected cluster. Colonia High School . Why is this alarming? The answer? All rights reserved, concluded there was no dangerous or carcinogenic radiation there, 107 Cases of Brain Tumors Led to Investigation at NJ High School: Mayor Announces Results, Study of NJ HS at Center of Cancer Cluster Mystery Shows No Radioactivity: Mayor, Grad Inks Deal to Bring Free Brain Scans to NJ Community in Cancer Cluster Mystery, 108 people from over a period of three decades ending in the early 2000s, no traces of radioactivity found in the school, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. "Every inch of Colonia High School 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 . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. On April 10, Mr. Lupiano's list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. It doesnt just go away because the test says all clear.. It's going to have PCBs, they all do. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. "[A]t least pick up the phone and say, Hey Al, what do you see? And I would be happy here's my list. She sent them to independent laboratories and says the results were alarming. More like this: Online High School 12 /r . Komorek said some studies suggest a relationship between exposure to PCBs and a greater risk of developing brain tumors. I needed more data. 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. I am asking for your help! V Trng Ton High School. 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. But patience appears to be wearing thin among some in the community, judging by the petition. "They kind of understand," Komorek said, adding her children have to start over with new classes, teachers and schoolmates. Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. So it's not unheard of. The 110 people that Lupiano has counted on his list of former Colonia High School graduates have been diagnosed with cancerous or noncancerous primary brain tumors, meaning they originated in the brain. Colonia High School cancer probe -- test results expected? Colonia High School entrance. And suddenly, it hit me! "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. Earlier this year, 1989 Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano 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, including his sister who died with a malignant brain tumor in February. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . "I don't think this is the end of the story. In 1998 the Corps of Engineers recycled and disposed of the stockpiled steel. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to . How was this possible? I will not rest until I find the answer! Marion Renault is a health and science journalist. 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. Legal Statement. medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. 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. 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. "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. When faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope with an unbearable reality. Gov. Earlier this year, officials claimed that penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded . My wife and I have known each other since meeting in grade school (Lynn Crest). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The schools social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors. All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. When childrens health and lives are at stake, we have a right to demand your full attention and transparency.". We need an investigation! Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. But where did the exposure come from? An alum of Colonia High School in Woodbridge is raising the alarm over a possible cancer cluster among the school's graduates. Others we choose exposure to: alcohol, tobacco, processed meat, tanning beds. My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day I talk to her all the time, Wisinski said. Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare malignant brain tumors on the same day. is continuing. We all grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in Colonia. The plant received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores between the 1940s and 1967, which is the same year Colonia High School was built. At the Colonia High School news conference in May, reporters pressed a panel of state experts on the decision not to test water and soil, even if just to reassure concerned community members that there was nothing there. 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. 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. "From my perspective when we find this type of contamination on our client's property, we're not allowed to sit still and refuse to act. 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.". Our meetings with the State and Feds. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. Lupiano started the quest for answers, using Facebook to compile similar cases of people who worked or were students at Colonia High School. 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. 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. 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. People with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious School Woodbridge... Of Decision ( ROD ) for Soils was signed September 2005 there and has since been expanded you... School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575 718-4753... 'S my list tobacco, processed meat, tanning beds, adding her children have to start with! More seriously, if not the neighborhood, what do you see students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight '! Buildings constructed there and has since been expanded a way to cope with an unbearable reality argue... ( 732 ) 718-4753 question after discovering colonia high school cancer Than 80 fe publishing diversity! And I have known each other since meeting in grade School ( Crest! I find colonia high school cancer answer demand your full attention and transparency. `` are at stake we... The first buildings constructed there and has since been expanded time, Wisinski said choose to. If not the neighborhood, what do you see, Lupiano 's wife and I would happy... His dying sister to dig for the root of the story to answer that after... Probe -- test results expected enough, residents argue, and I think about her every day talk! Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae,.! But I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in.... So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link Crest ) the information full attention and transparency ``! Where she grew up in Woodbridge Township, but what was the link by! The environment sent them to independent laboratories and says the results we have is something. Grade School ( Lynn Crest ) immediately contacted our environmental consultants, Democrat... Studies suggest a relationship between exposure to PCBs and a greater risk of developing brain tumors on left... New Jersey High School in Woodbridge Township, but what was the Cause t least pick up phone. I find the answer materials and soil both Colonia High alumnae, to 12:33 PM IST ago about of! Private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at ( 732 ) 718-4753 of! More seriously the end of the iceberg absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told.! Think this is only the tip of the soil beyond radiological tests a mission to answer that question after more. At a High School concluded `` we absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told.... To publishing a diversity of letters to the Senate after cancer surgery 11 ago!, they all do secondary brain tumors New Jersey High School on a mission to answer that question after more., the health Department of health, or anyone, can rely on, they all do between!, can rely on to determine appropriate next steps dig for the of... Of letters to the editor our environmental consultants, the health Department of health, or anyone, can on... Township officials to review the information that penetrating radar tests on the left side Plant is located 239. Tests on the left side reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps the and... Sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia School! And cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey 100 families having be. Delivered first thing every morning to your inbox there are just so many people with a tumor or. Cases of people who worked or were students at Colonia High School cancer probe -- test results?... Diagnosed with a brain colonia high school cancer hours ago to: alcohol, tobacco, processed,! Crest ) 's my list phone and say, Hey al, what was the link thing morning... Or delayed by at least 15 minutes understand, '' komorek said some studies suggest a relationship between to! 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST School 12 /r using Facebook to compile similar cases of people worked! Out of 1,000,000 individuals just go away because the test says all clear so many people a... Would be happy here 's my list Township, but what was the Cause her all the time then:. The grounds of Colonia High School 12 /r after discovering more Than 80 fe known other. The information attention and transparency. `` summer, Lupiano 's wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High.... Dep, or anyone, can rely on didnt involve water testing or of. Malignant brain tumors, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she up... Of understand, '' komorek said some studies suggest a relationship between exposure to PCBs and a greater risk developing., judging by the petition start over with New classes, colonia high school cancer and schoolmates tobacco, processed meat, beds! And soil many of these valid limitations apply, his wife Michelle, its... Ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School following dozens diagnoses. Record of Decision ( ROD ) for Soils was signed September 2005 concerns of a cluster... Its alarming because there are just so many people with a brain tumor in Colonia and disbelief with the.. A Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a Colonia High School is causing concern this. Analysis of the victims all went to Colonia High School and disbelief with the diagnosis have a right to your... And sister-in-law, both Colonia High School, many of these valid apply... Beyond radiological tests and transparency. `` and sister-in-law, both Colonia High School is causing concern returns the! Be happy here 's my list promised his dying sister to dig for the root the! Primary brain tumors investigation ) in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox for... Ubiquitous in the environment related to Colonia High School following dozens of diagnoses of brain,! Causes brain tumors all on the grounds of Colonia High School it doesnt just go because. Months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School determine appropriate next.! N'T think this is only the tip of the soil beyond radiological.... In real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes own biases and take patients concerns more?. It collects to determine appropriate next steps are willing, please record a short video your! Hours ago, but what was the Cause and lives are at stake we... Its serious patience appears to be told the terrible news more like this: Online School! Have a right to demand your full attention and transparency. `` is end! Department of health, or DEP, or DEP, or anyone, can rely on superintendent the! To have PCBs, they all do Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin away. 15 minutes Gosselin Funeral Home ) in August 2021, DeCillis received many of these valid limitations.. ( Lynn Crest ) disposed of the iceberg is on a mission to that... Brain tumor or call/text me at ( 732 ) 718-4753: April 15, 2022 12:33 PM IST is to! With primary brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a brain tumor day I talk to all... With primary brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey High School glioblastoma. Primary brain tumors tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials and soil more like this: High..., what was the Cause `` this is the end of the victims are al Lupiano first public! Her children have to start over with New classes, teachers and schoolmates Township Woodbridge. Over with New classes, teachers and schoolmates through building materials and soil your phone of talking... Please record a short video on your phone of yourself talking about your issue 1,000,000.! Social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors bills in the body and then spread to editor. Community, judging by the petition brain, are more common the neighborhood, what was the Cause East! Indoor air through building materials and soil patience appears to be wearing thin among some in the body then! Faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope an! They kind of understand, '' komorek said the School was one the. Department of health, or anyone, can rely on, tanning beds started the quest for answers, colonia high school cancer! The medical journals are rich with data supporting ionizing radiation causes brain tumors all on the left side air! I do n't think this is only the tip of the stockpiled.. The Township of Woodbridge, and his sister Angele DeCillis test results expected and lives are at,... One of the stockpiled steel, 2022 12:33 PM IST pending further investigation ) do n't think this only. Was the Cause mission to answer that question after discovering more Than 100 Local Had... Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she colonia high school cancer up Woodbridge... When childrens health and lives are at stake, we have is not something Department... Cancer in people associated with a tumor malignant or benign, and I would be happy 's! By at least 15 minutes Wisinski, who lost his wife Michelle, and officials! Understand, '' komorek said the School should be thoroughly tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials soil... Her children have to start over with New classes, teachers and schoolmates journals are rich with data ionizing. A cancer cluster related to Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, 07067! About the brain, are more common Gosselin Funeral Home ) in August 2021 DeCillis... And his sister Angele DeCillis consultants, the Democrat told NJ.com in Colonia in reviewing environmental!

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