Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist and mother of a Colonia High School rising junior and freshman, was not pacified by the results. For those who dont know me, my name is Al Lupiano and I graduated CHS class of 89. Dose, too, is a major factor. The natural world can also pose a threat via volcanic ash or toxin-spewing fungi. PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. I am asking for your help! The incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of 1,000,000 people. So when officials declared earlier this year that ground penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded there was no dangerous or carcinogenic radiation there, she took matters into her own hands. Rohit Ranjan. Komorek said the school should be thoroughly tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials and soil. Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and facultywere found to have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors. Thats 100 people with their life forever changed. Officials also reviewed local data on naturally occurring radioactive deposits and followed up on reports of a radioactive rock discovered in a science classroom in 1997. Photo credit Google Street View. Lng Th Vinh High School. Even so, these constraints do not relieve public health departments from their duty to do all they can to address their constituents concerns even if they cant deliver definitive answers and even if they are under strain themselves. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Angela died from it. 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. Angela M. DeCillis, a Colonia High School graduate, Class of '95. That could look like presenting the public with clearer timelines of an investigations course of action, creating portals to gather community feedback and encouraging two-way communications from the start., After all, there has been a long history of patients serving as a critical warning system for epidemiology, with concerned residents having alerted public health officials to mercury poisoning diseases, birth defects caused by rubella, and toxic drinking water contaminants. Thats not body cancers and general tumorsthats 80 rare primary brain tumors! And when do you need to check your own biases and take patients concerns more seriously? medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. Secondary brain tumors, which originate elsewhere in the body and then spread to the brain, are more common. The township does not have records dating back to 55 years ago, the site noted. Three weeks ago, I made a promise to my beloved sister on her deathbed I will uncover the truth! During the freshman orientation for parents, she collected a dust sample inside a bathroom which came back positive for polychlorinated biphenyls also known as PCBs, which have been linked to cancer in humans. Trn Khai Nguyn High School. 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. 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. 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. How was this possible? Ive requested a few pieces of historical data, trying to determine the history of the site prior to the construction of the HS. Schools in North Brunswick and Trenton, as well as in Greenwich, Conn., and Northport, N.Y., were discovered to have been constructed on or near contaminated soils. And, YESI most definitely DO! 3/25 UPDATE: The meetings with County, State, and Federal agencies are going well. In the meantime, the investigation continues. Never did I think when I started this post I would hit this number! Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to . Something Is Wrong Here. More Than 100 Local Residents Had Brain Tumors, but What Was the Cause? Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. A Record of Decision (ROD) for Soils was signed September 2005. 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. For the past six months, Ive spent hundreds of hours scouring the internet and speaking to people about brain tumors. Find Us . 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. ", 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. The township shared the information with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Health. Im 99.99 percent convinced.. ", 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.". So, why am I asking for help? 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. Dr. Marc Siegel discusses brain tumors that emerged among former Colonia High School students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'. 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. The Army Corps of Engineers has a lengthy fact sheet on that plant. There is one well documented cause of brain tumors radiation exposure. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. 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 . WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. Of the number placed in January, 18 percent weighed less than 600 pounds, 24 percent weighed from 600 to 699 pounds, 27 percent weighed from 700 to 799 pounds, 18 percent weighed 800 . You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! On April 10, Mr. Lupianos list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. After 2nd grade, my wife attended parochial school until high school, where she attended CHS. Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in New Tests at NJ School, Mom Says, Raising Concerns. All rights reserved. V Th Su High School. 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. Theres something special about cancer, said Richard Clapp, a cancer epidemiologist and a professor emeritus at Boston University. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS. 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. But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. I have requested a discussion with the Department of Health, and if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies. That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. 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. New Brunswick, N.J., April 27, 2021 - The New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR), under the direction of the State Department of Health in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a seven-year, $9,085,109 contract (75N91021D00009) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI . Lupiano, his wife . Dozens of former teachers and students have . READ NEXT: Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. The plant, which has since closed, is about a 30-minute drive from Colonia High School. "They kind of understand," Komorek said, adding her children have to start over with new classes, teachers and schoolmates. Anyone can read what you share. State your name, what you were diagnosed with, when, and what year you graduated CHS or worked there. And suddenly, it hit me! 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 was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. I will not rest until I find the answer! 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. Before being devastated by a hurricane in 1960, Cliffwood Beach, NJ was a hot vacation spot that drew comparisons to Brooklyn's Coney Island. . We have to accept the results.. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. All of them graduated from Colonia High School, and they all have brain tumors, ABC7 reported. 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. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. New Jersey dad fights to have daughter returned to the U.S. NJ state budget delivers another crushing blow to residents (Opinion), Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and EEO Report. My wife and I have known each other since meeting in grade school (Lynn Crest). Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. It is possible that soil from the plant had been trucked to Colonia High School during its construction in 1967, according to the NJ Spotlight. Her sister Cheryl Black died of brain cancer in 2015. Frequently, in hazmat, you never find it in the first shot," Lupiano said. "We absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told NJ.com. Since cancer can take such a long time to manifest, evidence of what caused it has ample time to disappear. People move in and out of town. 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. Others we choose exposure to: alcohol, tobacco, processed meat, tanning beds. PCBs are Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production of which has been banned since 1979. The states health department calculated it would be statistically ordinary for about 120 former students and staff members to have developed brain tumors in the decades since the school was built in 1967. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. I need your help Facebook. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance. A part of the campus is named for Pat Barbato - a longtime football coach . And thats not the case. "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. So, if not localized exposure, and not something we inhaled or drank, what could be the link? Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare malignant brain tumors on the same day. Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . It was Lupiano, who is an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, who started connecting the dots. Colonia High School cancer probe -- test results expected? 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. 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. He, his wife, and his sister all attended the school in the '90s. 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. (Al Lupiano). 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. It says. 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. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 "I have full faith they will get to the bottom of this and they will figure out what is going on," she said at the time. Are Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production of which colonia high school cancer been banned 1979... And if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies are going.... 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