After discovering 94 former students and staff from Colonia High School which was built in 1967 had been diagnosed with rare brain tumors, Dr. Joseph Massimino, superintendent of . Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac told WABC that the situation was "alarming because there are just so many people with a tumormalignant or benign, and it's serious.". Is it a cancer cluster or just a coincidence? She made it five years," said Jason Wisinski. "My wife fought like crazy. Earlier this year, Lupianos sister lost her battle with a very rare and highly aggressive malignant glioma brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) at age 44. McCormac previously said he also expects the ground and soil around Colonia High School will be tested, along with the air inside the high school building. The testers are specifically testing for radon levels in the air after 1989 Colonia High School grad Al Lupiano proposed this theory that he found an unusually high number of brain. All rights reserved (About Us). He received his . Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, said Lupiano. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. After nearly 100 people who attended the same New Jersey high school developed rare brain tumors, an alumnus and cancer survivor is demanding answers. The probe was the result of concerns about a possible brain tumor cluster linked to graduates and staff from Colonia High, a school of about 1,300 students in Middlesex County. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Social media has played a big role in shining the light of truth on this situation. Exterior shots of Colonia High School in Colonia, NJ on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com. Some are incredibly aggressive forms of cancer that need very aggressive forms of treatment. Federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. An investigation into the possible link between Colonia High School and cancer found no radiological hazards that warranted further investigation. The city of Woodbridge, NJ is conducting an investigation after more than 100 former students and staff at the local Colonia High School were found to have developed brain . A A. Accordingly, no further testing or remediation is required or recommended at this time. Newsweek has reached out to Colonia High School and McCormac. It has been lightly edited for clarity. ", "Just the sheer numbers of cases he's found is staggering," McCormac continued. Several types of primary brain tumors, including cancerous forms like glioblastoma and noncancerous yet debilitating masses such as acoustic neuromas, haemangioblastomas and meningiomas, have been diagnosed, according to the outlet. Jason Wisinski is another person affected by the spate of tumor cases. 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. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS The 110 people that Lupiano has counted on his list of former Colonia High School graduates have been. Theyre testing the air for radon. Lupiano says that most of the people on his list were at the high school prior to 1997. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. pic.twitter.com/mL9bVg9nE4, Katy Tur Reports (@KatyOnMSNBC) April 1, 2022, A majority of the graduates and staff members suffering from the condition were at the school between 1975 and 2000, but some students went through the school as recently as 2014, the NY Post continued. Obviously, everyone's praying and hoping for the best," said Colonia High School junior Julia Pagnozzi. Whittington a board-certified MD in California claimed several of the brain tumors developed by ex-Colonia High staff and students are glioblastoma multiforme an aggressive cancer. They are testing the grounds outside and inside of the high school inside. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The mother, Edyta Komorek, who has worked as an environmental scientist since 2006, said she collected dust, window caulk and soil samples from Colonia that tested for excessive levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide all carcinogenic compounds that can lead to cancer and other diseases. That is what Al Lupiano, Colonia High School (CHS) Class of 1989, wants to find out after . Unfortunately, it turned out to be stage 4 glioblastoma. I had stage 4 cancer. Stanmyre joined WNYC's Morning Edition host Michael Hill to explain the latest on these cases and what the investigation could entail. Such odds help to explain the public surprise after NJ Advance Media reported in early April that New Jerseyans living in the neighboring communities of Woodbridge and Colonia have developed various forms of brain tumors. There's a lot of speculation running rampant about what could be causing this, but to date, there has been nothing found. "My wife fought like crazy. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Ninety-four former staff members and students from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, have developed an extremely rare form of malignant brain tumor, leading local officials to approve an emergency probe of the school Tuesday. Lupiano said the rarity of the brain tumors raised concerns of the neurologist they shared since they all grew up in relatively the same neighborhood. McCormac says last Saturday, environmentalists placed random canisters inside the school to collect air samples. In May, the district and state announced an environmental assessment of all 28 acres in and around Colonia found no traces of radiological contaminants and the school was deemed safe for students and staff. They said it was about a one in a billion odds. They learned of their tumors just eight days apart, while Janice was pregnant with her and Jason's only child. Woodbridge Township has contracted environmental engineering firm T&M Associates to carry out radiation tests at Colonia High School to investigate a possible link between the school and the reported brain tumors, according to New York news outlet WABC. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Some of these are non-cancerous, yet very debilitating forms of brain tumor. I pray we find answers. He shared a 2020 Emmy for the PBS NewsHour series Stopping a Killer Pandemic and in 2019 received a George FosterPeabodyAwardfor the PBS NewsHour series The Plastic Problem. Nsikan has also worked for NPR, Science News Magazine, Science Magazine, KUSP Central Coast Public Radio, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and as a writer at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University. Advertisement. 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, he wrote in the newsletter. 3 min read. WWE Star Sonya Deville Arrested In Atlantic City On Gun Charge, Atlantic City Official & Council Candidate Facing Assault Charge, Former Press of Atlantic City Office Building To Get New Purpose, Atlantic City Area Residents Share Favorite Childhood Memories, Atlantic City, NJ Mayor Leading Free Resident Credit Repair Effort, Atlantic City, NJ Area Great Hurricane Of 1944 (AMAZING PHOTOS), Atlantic Citys Chris Ford Proved That Nice Guys Finish First, NJ Author Discusses What We Can Do to Address Bullying in Schools. The school is expected to remain open during this time. Correction 04/26/2022 9.51 a.m. Lupiano was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer) when he was 27 years old, about 25 years ago. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. They all attended or worked at Colonia High School most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000. Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist,. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006, (RELATED: Video Shows Man Repeatedly Running Over Woman With SUV After Minor Incident). Its not something done to us due to bad habits, Lupiano told CBS News. So, would you take us through what is known so far about this cluster? It's not something in soil," Lupiano said to CBS News. They are leaving radon canisters at the school for 14 days, which will test for elevated levels of radon. Its not air. Asking them to be patient for several more weeks is unacceptable. Immediate action from our State and Federal agencies is warranted, Lupiano said. The governor wont be embracing the bill despised by landlords and supported by tenant advocates. A stock photo shows medical workers looking at a brain scan or brain scans. The testing actually started April 9, and testers have been seen walking around Colonia High School, taking air samples to test for radiation, said Woodbridge town spokesman John Hagerty. Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . A total of 104 former students and faculty with brain tumors responded to a Facebook post. Lupiano also lost his younger sister to the disease in February at the age of 44, the outlet continued. "The EPA and CDC are not testing at Colonia High School," said Hagerty. Were all concerned, and we all want to get to the bottom of this. In an acknowledgement of the significance of Komoreks findings, the district sent out a statement to parents and guardians Monday evening. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Federal agencies are also assisting in the investigation. Our journalism needs your support. My best friend had a cancerous brain tumor. Al Lupiano has found 107 people with primary brain tumors who all attended or worked at Colonia High School. Earlier this year, Colonia graduate Al Lupiano, also an environmental scientist, discovered more than 100 teachers and alums of the school who reported having brain tumors, drawing international attention to the community and sparking state and local investigations. In a Facebook post, Lupiano said the battle over whats affecting hundreds of CHS alumni, teachers and staff is not over with the help of renowned doctors and scientists., He called the data presented at the press conference flawed.. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 1999. Radiology, Allied Health, Radiologic Technologist, Neurophysiology. As a concerned uncle and community member, I pray we find nothing, Lupiano says. Dating back decades, newly detailed reports of more than 100 cases of brain tumors among former students and staff at Colonia High School in Woodbridge have raised obvious concerns. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The results indicated PCBs at concentration of 50,500 mg/kg, exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory level of 50 mg/kg, according to the report. The statewide graduation rate fell slightly, from 91% in 2019-20 to 90.6%. WOODBRIDGE - Work is underway to create a portal for people with ties to Colonia High School who have developed brain tumors to share information with the New . Image: Unsplash. 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. The conversation is available below. Gothamist is a website about New York City news, arts, events and food, brought to you by New York Public Radio. He added that the Environmental Protection Agency has gotten involved in the investigation. Its not something in soil. Woodbridge Mayor John McCormick lives just a few blocks from the high school. A soil sample taken from near the northern wall of the school similarly indicated PCBs concentration of 575 mg/kg, exceeding the New Jersey Soil Remediation Standard. The couple's neurologist was baffled. His wife graduated in 1991. Its not contaminated water. Luciano has reported his findings to Colonia High School. Find NJ.com on Faceboo. His sister succumbed to brain cancer. ', * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts, AccuWeather: AM showers before a mild afternoon, Extra Time: Breaking down massive NYC, NYPD settlement, Teammate facing charges in crash that killed local UGA player. Hill: Brain tumors, relative to other types of cancer, are typically rare but can be very lethal. Fortunately one of the survivors is an environmentalscientist Al Lupiano, who is bringing attention to this and he is relentlessly looking for answers. Here are the details: The lists below show 4-year graduation rates for New Jersey public schools for the 2020-21 school year. Lupiano has been able to confirm that 94 former students and staff of Colonia High School had developed brain tumors, as per coverage in New York Post. Lupiano grew up in Woodbridge Township and he now works as an environmental scientist; he no longer lives in Woodbridge. 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. I didnt feel that my kids were safe there until actual soil, groundwater and air samples were collected and nobody wanted to do it.. Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000, said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the news. "And if we do find something, we're going to deal with the consequences.". Mayor McCormac says the Environmental Protection Agency is now involved. "Colonia is not a mega high school. (RELATED: Video Shows Man Repeatedly Running Over Woman With SUV After Minor Incident). So, would . Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. Janice was pregnant with her and Jason's only child. But according to the new results, the school currently poses no danger. That's what makes the numbers staggering," says Lupiano. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2023. He is presently working with local officials to address the situation. Lupiano said he started searching for instances of Colonia High graduates having brain tumors and was stunned to discover 15 people in total, with two newly discovered cases pending further . ", "We are taking this incredibly seriously," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac told Patch earlier this April, saying that he finds Lupiano's theory "quite credible and legitimate. 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 cases. Columns with an asterisk or 'N' indicate there was no data or it was suppressed to protect student privacy. ET: The spelling of Michele DeCillis has been corrected. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. The school was built in 1967 and currently serves roughly 1,300 students, the NY Post noted. My MIL died of lung cancer. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "When I started looking into it, I quickly amassed 15 of our classmates with these rare brain tumors," he told NewsNation. T&M Associates subcontracted Cabrera Services Inc., a radiological environmental and remediation company, of East Hartford, Connecticut. She made it five years.". I will not rest until I have answers. DeCillis died in February from glioblastoma multiforme, a form of brain cancer. What would you do if you went to the doctor, you arent feeling well, asked Matthew DeCillis, whose wife, Angela, died from a brain tumor in February. As the Senior Producer for Morning Edition on WNYC, Alec works hard to get listeners all the latest news and delightful stories from New York City, northern New Jersey and beyond. A Colonia High School alum said he found 107 people with brain tumors who went to or worked at the school. "100as of midnight Sunday 4/10, I recorded the 100th case of someone having a primary brain tumor," Lupiano wrote on Facebook last Monday, April 11. "It is also important to note that the data compiled and posted to social media by Mr. Lupiano has yet to be evaluated and verified by any federal, state, county or municipal agency with competent jurisdiction to fully vet and verify his research. It's just that rare. Lupiano also says people who did not attend the school but live nearby have gotten in touch with him to express their concerns. The New Jersey state Department of Health. "I went on Facebook on March 7, and I asked for the people on Facebook to help me find others. This all began last year when Al Lupiano made a startling discovery. 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. The testing was prompted after township officials learned of various social media posts related to several instances of brain tumors and brain cancer among students and faculty of CHS from . The environmental assessment study at Colonia High School was recently completed, in response to allegations that suggested the school had radiological hazards that contributed to diagnoses of brain tumors, cancers, and other central nervous disorders in former students and staff members. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 people . The sample came back indicating PCBs at concentration of 4.3 ug/wipe (or 100 cm2), indicating that PCBs may be present in indoor air, according to a report compiled by Komorek and obtained by NJ Advance Media. . However, I still think we need to expedite the next phase of testing including water, soil, and air, to determine if more than one contaminant is present, he said. utah778/Getty Work began on . As of April 11, Lupiano wrote on this personal Facebook page that he now has tracked about 100 people with rare brain tumors and they all are either Colonia High School graduates or worked in the school building. The school campus is just under 12 miles from the Middlesex Sampling Plant, which was used to crush, cry, store, package and ship uranium ore during the development of the atomic bomb under direction from the Manhattan Project, the outlet continued. National Cancer Institutes list of 27 common afflictions. Since . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. $4 Million Settlement Mass Torts $203 Million Class Action Financial Services $75 Million Class Action Mass Torts $200 Million Class Action All three were diagnosed with a brain tumor. As a scientist, I want to find answers. Woodbridge will not get preliminary test results until after this Saturday, April 23, said Hagerty. 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