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. The perception of a cluster in a community may be as important as, or more important than, an actual cluster, the C.D.C. Legal Statement. 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. 1:07. 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. The situation first came to light after Colonia High School alumnus Al Lupiano identified at least 104 former students and staff who suffered from rare brain tumors and cancer. I have made this shareable from my personal page if you would like to sharethank you for your assistance! Others told NJ.com they want a remote learning option until the investigation is complete. His sister Angela Decillis graduated . We have to really take a look at it, said Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac to ABC 7. Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. So, why am I asking for help? About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. "They kind of understand," Komorek said, adding her children have to start over with new classes, teachers and schoolmates. But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. 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. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). (Al Lupiano). Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. The township does not have records dating back to 55 years ago, the site noted. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. They can find reasons to doubt. "To me their health is the most important thing.". 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 . In the case of Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance. Of special note: many are former CHS teachers and staff members who didnt live in Colonia, they just worked in the school. Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors. So it's not unheard of. Radiological assessments will be conducted throughout the . Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. 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. Trn Khai Nguyn High School. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. Taking the next steps to begin the investigation. Its unclear whether any of those questions will ever be answered, and if they are, how residents would receive the responses. That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. Dr. Marc Siegel discusses brain tumors that emerged among former Colonia High School students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'. While I have spent countless hours gathering data, I simply havent had enough time to get others involved. Photo credit Google Street View. We understand that the state authorities will be forwarding this information to appropriate federal agencies," Massimino's letter states. We are optimistic we will see some action soon. Our children and Colonia High School staff deserve more involvement of the State and Federal agencies. The facility, which includes several buildings on 9.6 acres, was an entry point for African uranium ores known as pitchblende. At an educational board meeting in June, Mrs. Komorek laid out the possible leads she and others would like to see explored, like whether the schools 1960s-era building materials contain mercury or formaldehyde. This helps explain why cluster investigations so often fail to arrive at a satisfying conclusion. But, in order for me to take the next steps, I need the help of others. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School . I need your help Facebook. Send to me ASAP by PM (FB Messenger)we would like to put this on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt TONIGHT! But some still want more. Lupiano's sister, also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. Remedial Action in accordance with this ROD was completed in FY08. Colonia High School was reportedly the common denominator among those suffering from the tumors Credit: CBS NEW YORK. 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. 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). He concedes no soil or dust samples were collected when the township conducted its own tests, but adds that Komoreks findings need further validation. I'm doing this not only for my wife, my sister my nieces are currently in the school but this deserves further understanding. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. In the meantime, the investigation continues. What happened in my community continually repeats itself throughout this entire country, year in and year out, that survivor, Trevor Schaefer, told lawmakers in 2011. The total minority enrollment is 53%, and 34% of students are economically disadvantaged. 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. My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day I talk to her all the time, Wisinski said. Please, look at this. Chu Vn An High School. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . How was this possible? 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. For public health officials, resolving this tension is the macro version of bedside manner: How do you reassure a frightened patient that nothings wrong? 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 . He, his wife, and his sister all attended the school in the '90s. 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.. During my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family have also been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. Here's What to Know About Bruce Willis' Diagnosis, The Wanted's Tom Parker Dies at 33 After Brain Tumor Battle, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. I'm exhausted. "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. Its very hard to pinpoint what it is that initiated that process.. The plant received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores between the 1940s and 1967, which is the same year Colonia High School was built. According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. "They are all causing cancer.". A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. 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. (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. "So if that's the case, that could explain why we have pockets of these rare cancers all over Woodbridge Township.". 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. Tech & Science Science Health and Medicine Brain Cancer. 3/21 UPDATE: I am scheduled to present my data to local, County, and State officials. 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. 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. Mr. Lupianos list of former classmates and staff members at Colonia High School with primary brain tumors hit 100 in April. WOODBRIDGE - An extensive field investigation that included assessing Colonia High School classrooms, building materials and the 28-acre East Street campus found no radiological hazards that warrant further investigation, an environmental assessment determined. Lupianos Facebook post initially read, Calling all Colonia High School (CHS) alumniI am in urgent need of your help!. 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. My main focus is still on determining if ionizing radiation is the cause of these tumor and other rare cancers. The analysis can back with PCBs above federal and state standards as well as pesticides that were banned in 1988," she said. The township shared the information with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Health. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/cancer-cluster-colonia-woodbridge.html. 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. 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 . Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. My wife fought like crazy. 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. 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?. 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 . Legal Statement. Questions, corrections, or comments? Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. 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. Image: Unsplash. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. Colonia High School is located in Colonia, New Jersey. The clients have to pay for the remediation. Im 99.99 percent convinced.. 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. (two newly discovered cases are pending further investigation). Colonia Park Mall in court over $200,000 in bills When faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope with an unbearable reality. The incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of 1,000,000 people. 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. Here are the best chocolates in New Jersey. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. "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. A high school in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, is being investigated by environmental experts . More like this: Online High School 12 /r . I discovered 15 people from our circle of friends and their family members and friends had been diagnosed with brain tumors! We need an investigation! They may seek answers where there are not any or where they are impossible to dredge out. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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). Theres something special about cancer, said Richard Clapp, a cancer epidemiologist and a professor emeritus at Boston University. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. We all of us attended Colonia High School. We all grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in Colonia. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. 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. Theres something there, in Colonia, Mr. Wisinski said. 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. "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. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . PCBs are Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production of which has been banned since 1979. 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. Prove to us theres nothing, he said. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Fox News reported that the plant received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores between the 1940s and 1967, which is the same year Colonia High School was built.. Market data provided by Factset. "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. Some people will not be convinced.. The high school was evacuated and a HAZMAT team secured the rock in a lead-lined box. I don't get that," he said. 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. 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 . Keeping my fingers crossed!! Facebook Colonia High School. Even more troubling? All rights reserved. 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. 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 . We did exactly what they wanted.. Three weeks ago, I made a promise to my beloved sister on her deathbed I will uncover the truth! She sent them to independent laboratories and says the results were alarming. PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 Assuming we follow the same statistical analysis as stated previously, over a 20-year period from 1975 1995, I estimate approximately 5,000 individuals have passed thru the hallowed halls of CHS. V Th Su High School. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey . It started in 1999 when Mr. Lupiano, then 27, was diagnosed with a noncancerous one. But, according to the Change.org petition launched Tuesday, complete results aren't even anticipated to be received until the end of May. There is one well documented cause of brain tumors radiation exposure. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. A consultant for the New YORK do n't get that, '' Komorek said, adding her children to. Was completed in FY08 thing. `` 9.6 acres, was diagnosed with brain tumors and in! 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