So she took matters into her own hands and found toxic chemicals linked to cancer as well as pesticides at the school. Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. 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. She also suggested air sampling be done with closed windows to make sure indoor air is not diluted. The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 producer, writer, and host Joe Votruba. More than 100 people who graduated from Colonia High School have developed brain cancer. The onset of brain tumors in more than one hundred people who attended or worked at Colonia High School in New Jersey has continued to baffle experts. Komorek said some studies suggest a relationship between exposure to PCBs and a greater risk of developing brain tumors. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. And once againI couldnt do this without your help!! Fox News correspondent Bryan Llenas has the latest as 100+ have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey. On April 10, Mr. Lupianos list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. Colonia High School Brain Tumors: New Jersey Cancer Cluster Causes Concern, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. In 1980s, the contaminated residential properties were cleaned up, and the excavated soil was stored at the site in a specially constructed pile, known as the Vicinity Properties (VP) pile. Was it the street or neighborhood where we grew up linking us? About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. If I trusted those numbers, I would be relieved, and I would be happy, she said. Lupiano, an environmental scientist, said he has confirmed 65 cases of people with rare brain tumors, adding the common denominator is they were all Colonia High School graduates or had worked there. 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. EPA looking into cancer cluster tied to NJ high school. Nguyn Tri 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. Lupiano's sister, also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. 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. 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. Lng Th Vinh High School. What we were not prepared for was for the state to say, Were satisfied, after doing one simple test, Mr. Lupiano said. $9 Million Contract from National Cancer Institute Awarded for NJ State Cancer Registry. Earlier:Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school. 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. 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. In addition to leaning less heavily on statistical significance, the federal agencys new updates also call for an evolution in the interpersonal aspects of a cluster investigation. Lupiano believes theres a link between. The school was one of the first buildings constructed there and has since been expanded. Brian Thompson reports. The plant received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores between the 1940s and 1967, which is the same year Colonia High School was built. "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 . "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. I never in my worst nightmare envisioned ever hitting this milestone. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. 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. But this isn't the first time the high school has had questions about the radiation levels in the area. Why would they include classes as recent as 2021 when we know many cancers take decades or longer to develop? Humans are awash in potential cancer-causing agents, and it is practically impossible to determine the cause of a given case. The town announced in May that there were no traces of radioactivity found in the school. I will not rest until I find the answer! The states environmental agency confirmed that the water company which does not use water from ground wells known to be pollution-prone serving the area had not had any violations for radiological contaminants since at least 2004. 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. To say he was concerned when he discovered all three of us grew up in the same neighborhood is an understatement. How was this possible? Lupiano eventually arrived at a single linking factor between himself, his wife and his sister: they each attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge in the 1990s. (Al Lupiano). '", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. All rights reserved. Something is wrong here, he said. According to Fox News, getting scrutiny in the controversy is the now-closed Middlesex Sampling Plant, which is a half hour away from Colonia. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance. Dozens of former teachers and students have . Send Joe Votruba an email. I need your help Facebook. And the soil was right below where the caulking is.". However, the agency accepts a greater responsibility for helping communities cope with this uncertainty and the lack of resolution that often characterizes these investigations. People move in and out of town. 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. Ray Kent Carlile, "Ray Cool Cat Carlile" was born in Wichita, Kansas May 20, 1957 to Margaret and Earl Carlile and passed away at his home in Canon City on February 23, 2023. Its very hard to pinpoint what it is that initiated that process.. We did exactly what they wanted.. 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. 3/16 UPDATE: Since I created this post a week ago, the most frequent question I am asked is, Is there something I can do and do you need my help?. The perception of a cluster in a community may be as important as, or more important than, an actual cluster, the C.D.C. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. "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. 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 . All rights reserved. We have to really take a look at it, said Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac to ABC 7. His . 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. 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. McCormac said both commissioners acknowledged they received the township's email and he hopes to hear back from them soon. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. 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. Trn Khai Nguyn High School. 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 updates also move to de-emphasize statistical significance as the main criterion for investigating suspected cancer clusters in order to make more room for other criteria, such as mortality and electronic health record data, neighborhood patterns of cancer and even community-created lists of individuals with cancer diagnoses. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. This helps explain why cluster investigations so often fail to arrive at a satisfying conclusion. (two newly discovered cases are pending further investigation). Two environmentalists are using a GPS to test for radiation at the high school, which is still open, the television station reported. Email tips toaudrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants. There are hundreds more probable carcinogens of varying ubiquity under study, such as pesticides, parasites, night shifts and indoor fires. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. 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. Never did I think when I started this post I would hit this number! 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. (Gosselin Funeral Home) In August 2021, DeCillis received . 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. 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. So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link? 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. In Woodbridge and elsewhere, unresolved concerns regardless of whether more can be done, scientifically can seed deep distrust and suspicion in suspected cluster communities. The total minority enrollment is 53%, and 34% of students are economically disadvantaged. 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. 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. A part of the campus is named for Pat Barbato - a longtime football coach . He was 52 years old. ", Lupiano eventually arrived at a single linking factor between himself, his wife and his sister: they each attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge in the 1990s. More than 100 former students and staff at the school have been diagnosed . 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 . Secondary brain tumors, which originate elsewhere in the body and then spread to the brain, are more common. Im optimistic we may see action in the next few days. PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. Radiation tests are being carried out at a New Jersey high school where over 100 former students and staff are reported to have developed brain tumors and cancerand the . ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at (732)718-4753. Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. (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. By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. Further explanation of what occurred at that high school over these decades of people being in the building," Lupiano said. 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, a Colonia High School . But, in order for me to take the next steps, I need the help of others. State your name, what you were diagnosed with, when, and what year you graduated CHS or worked there. This list too has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals. 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. Trinity was led by Mike Bednostin who had a game-high 24 points. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 03:42 PM EST. The schools social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Here are some tips. Its alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious. Colonia High School entrance. Could that be the link? Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. McCormac said he has seen Komorek's findings and consulted with the superintendent of schools. Cancer survivor Al Lupiano says more than 100 former Colonia High School attendees have been diagnosed with rare cancers on 'Cross Country.'#FoxNews #CrossCo. or redistributed. April 15, 2022 1:00 PM ET. WOODBRIDGE - Results are expected in a few weeks from recent soil and air testing at Colonia High School, following last month's finding of toxic chemicals linked to cancer and pesticides . We need answers! Ultimately, if it isnt a radiation source that is causing these illnesses, Lupiano says other tests can be done to pinpoint a cause. Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare malignant brain tumors on the same day. A A. So, if not localized exposure, and not something we inhaled or drank, what could be the link? 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. 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. Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. Casey returns to the Senate after cancer surgery 11 hours ago . McCormac said the investigation found "no cause and effect relationship between those illnesses and the building or grounds at Colonia High School." 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