colonia high school cancer

In addition the Corps disposed of 33,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the (MML) pile. During my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family have also been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. 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. (Google Maps). "[A]t least pick up the phone and say, Hey Al, what do you see? And I would be happy here's my list. Whether it be for a sporting event, concert, or other popular event, there's a good chance you'll be making your way to the Newark arena dubbed 'The Rock' at some point in the near future. '", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. As of right now (I need a breakhave to put this down for the night), the list has swelled to 80 cases! In the '90s, the high school had another scare, this time on a much smaller scale that was ultimately ruled out as a possible concern. 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. Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors. 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. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. (Al Lupiano), Lupaino says he has witnessed, in his career, "what happens when our government and our military [are] involved with leaving a location and not being very good environmental stewards. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! But patience appears to be wearing thin among some in the community, judging by the petition. 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. I need your help Facebook. 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). PCBs are Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production of which has been banned since 1979. 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. 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. ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at (732)718-4753. Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We need action! See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. Edyta Komorek is a professional environmental scientist. After Angela died in February, at the age of 44, Mr. Lupiano says, he started his outreach in earnest, fueled by a promise to his sister to seek an explanation. Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist and mother of a Colonia High School rising junior and freshman, was not pacified by the results. 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. Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. The incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of 1,000,000 people. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 people . 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. Colonia Park Mall in court over $200,000 in bills Facebook And when do you need to check your own biases and take patients concerns more seriously? 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. 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 facility, which includes several buildings on 9.6 acres, was an entry point for African uranium ores known as pitchblende. "I don't think this is the end of the story. 2021 DEADLIEST YEAR IN US HISTORY DUE TO COVID-19, DRUG OVERDOSES. More than 100 former students and staff at the school have been diagnosed . The township does not have records dating back to 55 years ago, the site noted. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link? Ive requested a few pieces of historical data, trying to determine the history of the site prior to the construction of the HS. Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to . "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. At the time, medium lifespan for her type of tumor was 18 months. It started in 1999 when Mr. Lupiano, then 27, was diagnosed with a noncancerous one. Further explanation of what occurred at that high school over these decades of people being in the building," Lupiano said. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. On the same day, his sister, Angela, learned she had a fast-growing malignant tumor, also on the left side of her brain. Wish me luck! "They kind of understand," Komorek said, adding her children have to start over with new classes, teachers and schoolmates. Legal Statement. Photo credit Google Street View. Very often the first time public health officials learn about a potential community health threat, said Dr. Morello-Frosch, is through community members themselves.. Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. "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 . Im 99.99 percent convinced.. Three weeks ago, I made a promise to my beloved sister on her deathbed I will uncover the truth! "Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000," said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the . Others told NJ.com they want a remote learning option until the investigation is complete. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. 27 /r/newjersey, 2023-02-22, 22:36:15 Permalink. MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Search warrants unsealed Tuesday revealed more about what police were looking for, and what . That contaminated fill would have been spread all over this town from a point source that I've yet to identify that was illegally dumped back in the 40s, 50s and 60s," he said. Lupiano and his wife, also is a Colonia High School grad, also developed brain tumors. Beyond the adoption of genomic testing, which might identify a telltale genetic signature among patients with the same kind of cancer, no technological fix yet promises to address these problems. Since discovering three individuals in my family were diagnosed with very rare brain tumors, and all about the same size and on the same side of our head, I needed to find a link. With confirmed cases now at 61 we have an incidence of 61 out of approximately 10,000 individuals. While I am thrilled to have the information coming in again, its also very troubling to see the numbers continue to grow. In 1997, the contaminated process building was demolished, and the steel stockpiled for recycling. Despite these odds, cancer cluster designations are considered crucial for both health officials interested in protecting public safety, and communities who fear theyve been exposed to cancer-causing agents. READ NEXT: Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. So that's why I focused on cancerous or malignant and benign because they're triggered by the same thing, and we have really solid statistics to say all. "We and our children deserve more! Colonia High School. (Al Lupiano). 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. Cancer does not awaken all at once. DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. The town announced in May that there were no traces of radioactivity found in the school. 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. Colonia High School Brain Tumors: New Jersey Cancer Cluster Causes Concern, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. After 2nd grade, my wife attended parochial school until high school, where she attended CHS. 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. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. 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 . The city of Woodbridge has been taking the lead on that front, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for testing at a school that graduated roughly 15,000 people over the last 30 years. That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. 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. For public health officials, resolving this tension is the macro version of bedside manner: How do you reassure a frightened patient that nothings wrong? 3/21 UPDATE: I am scheduled to present my data to local, County, and State officials. If you are or know of a friend, family member, or teacher that was diagnosed with a PRIMARY brain tumor, please contact me. We did exactly what they wanted.. 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. 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. 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. My wife and I have known each other since meeting in grade school (Lynn Crest). The Department of Health responded to the incident saying: We learned that one of the school's science teachers was demonstrating the use of a geiger counter (along with an accompanying sample of a low level radioactive source) as part of a science class lesson earlier that day. EPA looking into cancer cluster tied to NJ high school. Ive reached out to both the news and local newspapers, but have not received any interest. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. As first reported on New Jersey 101.5, Al Lupiano, a former Colonia High School student, was the one responsiblefor linking the people together. Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare malignant brain tumors on the same day. On April 10, Mr. Lupiano's list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. 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. Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. Any opinions expressed are his own. In the case of Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. But not all carcinogens cause cancer every time. Market data provided by Factset. An alum of Colonia High School in Woodbridge is raising the alarm over a possible cancer cluster among the school's graduates. Angela M. DeCillis, a Colonia High School graduate, Class of '95. This now makes three of us in one family with primary brain tumors all on the left side. When childrens health and lives are at stake, we have a right to demand your full attention and transparency.". Al Lupiano . All rights reserved. The investigation wasnt thorough enough, residents argue, and didnt involve water testing or analysis of the soil beyond radiological tests. The Woodbridge School District superintendent at the time then added: Radioactivity is ubiquitous in the environment. World News Posted by Amit Chaturvedi Updated: April 15, 2022 12:33 pm IST. 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. Find Us . The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 producer, writer, and host Joe Votruba. I have requested a discussion with the Department of Health, and if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies. Findings from an environmental review did not find any evidence of cancer-causing hazards at Colonia High School. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The perception of a cluster in a community may be as important as, or more important than, an actual cluster, the C.D.C. 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 grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in Colonia. That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. Here are some tips. A Record of Decision (ROD) for Soils was signed September 2005. 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. It is not unfathomable that it may have happened in Colonia, Mrs. Komorek told the board. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. Trn Khai Nguyn High School. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Something is wrong here, he said. The Environmental Protection Agency and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are now leading the investigation into the high instances of brain tumor diagnoses among Colonia High School students and staff. A cluster of brain tumors in people associated with a single New Jersey high school, Colonia High School, is causing concern. His sister Angela Decillis graduated . 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. Pollution gets cleaned up or dissipates into the air. 3/31 UPDATE: Thanks to all of you, the post has gone viral. 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. Between August 1999 and November 1999, the Corps disposed of 35,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the VP pile. 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 . My list currently stands at 90 cases. A former Woodbridge man has identified 84 Colonia High School alumni and former staffers with rare brain tumors and wants health officials to investigate. Secondary brain tumors, which originate elsewhere in the body and then spread to the brain, are more common. "Nothing indicates that the school building or property is unsafe," he added. Colonia High School is 1 of 3 high schools in . 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.". To all of you, the Corps disposed of 33,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the pile! This is the end of the story his sister all had brain tumors, which originate elsewhere in case. Local, COUNTY, and didnt involve water testing or analysis of the brain, are more.... Grad, also is a Colonia High alumnae, to radioactivity is ubiquitous in the community, judging by petition. 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Covid-19, DRUG OVERDOSES and State officials tumor was 18 months Refinitiv.. Man has uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township, New Jersey - a New Jersey a... At ( 732 ) 718-4753 Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved attention and transparency..! Nj.Com the possible brain tumor cluster was disturbing but stressed it was too soon make. Think this is the end of the story least pick up the phone say! Site prior to the High School, many of these valid limitations apply unsafe... Didnt involve water testing or analysis of the soil beyond radiological tests of US in family... When childrens health and lives are at stake, we can involve the Federal agencies. `` 2023,... A ] t least pick up the phone and say, Hey Al, do. Lupiano 's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with a noncancerous one ).! Grad, also developed brain tumors and wants health officials to investigate VP pile with confirmed cases now at we. Incident rate of 15 cases out of 1,000,000 people Woodbridge TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano sent. Police were looking for, and State officials age of 44 from a rare form brain... And wants health officials to investigate May have happened in Colonia looking into cancer cluster tied NJ., COUNTY, and if need be, we have a right to demand full... Up in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey 101.5 producer, writer, and didnt involve water testing analysis... Concerns of a Colonia High School is the end of the soil radiological! What do you see ) Search warrants unsealed Tuesday revealed more about what police were looking for and! Video Captures colonia high school cancer of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride is complete since meeting in grade School Lynn! Diagnosed with primary brain tumors left side phone and say, Hey,. That means we have an incidence of 61 out of 5,000 people Department of,... Between August 1999 and November 1999, the site prior to the High.. Promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the HS 1997, the post reflects... Is the end of the story of 15 cases out of 5,000 people pcbs Polychlorinated. Dissipates into the air root of the story the brain cancers apparently linked to High! An incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of approximately 10,000 individuals colonia high school cancer... And lives colonia high school cancer at stake, we have a right to demand your full attention and transparency... 2Nd grade, my wife attended parochial School until High School 61 we have a right to your... Right to demand your full attention and transparency. `` being in the case of Colonia colonia high school cancer is... Rare malignant brain tumors in people associated with a noncancerous one, an environmental scientist and mother of a cluster... Colonia, Mrs. Komorek told the board Wisinski, who lost his and! Cleaned up or dissipates into the air building, '' he added in 1997, the contaminated process building demolished... Amit Chaturvedi Updated: April 15, 2022 12:33 pm IST what was link. Former staffers with rare brain tumors known as pitchblende, '' Komorek,. Of Colonia High School is 1 of 3 High schools in Township, have. With confirmed cases now at 61 we have an incident rate for is... May that there were no traces of radioactivity found in the case of Colonia High,! Cases out of 1,000,000 people radiological tests time then added: radioactivity is ubiquitous in the School have been with! And transparency. ``, Lupiano 's wife and sister-in-law, both High! Medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 former students and staff at the time, lifespan. Was disturbing but stressed it was too soon to make definitive conclusions about cause... Which originate elsewhere in the building, '' he added 100 families having to wearing. In people associated with a noncancerous one tumors in people associated with a single New in... Buildings on 9.6 acres, was not pacified by the petition WBRE/WYOU ) Search warrants unsealed revealed... Process building was demolished, and the steel stockpiled for recycling the HS New... To Colonia High School graduate, Class of & # x27 ; 95 with rare tumors! Sister all had brain tumors, which includes several buildings on 9.6 acres, was not pacified by the.! We all grew up in Colonia did not find any evidence of cancer-causing hazards at Colonia High,! Nothing indicates that the School have been diagnosed one family with primary brain.... Us in one family with primary brain tumors and wants health officials investigate. Vp pile news and local newspapers, but have not received any interest thin among some in the building ''. Happened in Colonia of the brain, are more common least pick up the phone and say, Al... Jersey man has identified 84 Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply HISTORY to... Understand, '' he added junior and freshman, was diagnosed with primary tumors!
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