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. 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. These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals. Colonia High School is located in Colonia, New Jersey. Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. "Seven weeks we've been waiting for them to take a drive from Edison [New Jersey] to Colonia, New Jersey. I discovered 15 people from our circle of friends and their family members and friends had been diagnosed with brain tumors! 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. Cancer does not awaken all at once. Here are the best chocolates in New Jersey. Lupianos Facebook post initially read, Calling all Colonia High School (CHS) alumniI am in urgent need of your help!. 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. 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. DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. Pollution gets cleaned up or dissipates into the air. Send Joe Votruba an email. 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. Find Us . About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. It is not unfathomable that it may have happened in Colonia, Mrs. Komorek told the board. In 1997, the contaminated process building was demolished, and the steel stockpiled for recycling. And thats not the case. I have made this shareable from my personal page if you would like to sharethank you for your assistance! 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. In 1998 the Corps of Engineers recycled and disposed of the stockpiled steel. 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. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. 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. (Al Lupiano). Colonia High School cancer probe -- test results expected? Edyta Komorek is a professional environmental scientist. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. We recognized that communication guidance was an area that warranted attention, said Patrick Breysse, director of the C.D.C.s National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in an email statement. All rights reserved. Several news agencies have reached out to me and I anticipate the completed articles and interviews will be released shortly. Lupiano, his wife . Its alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious. 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. It opens up more questions, more doubts, more anxieties, more concerns, he said. medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. 1:07. My three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 98. World News Posted by Amit Chaturvedi Updated: April 15, 2022 12:33 pm IST. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Since posting this a few days ago, the current number of confirmed (as of 1900 hours, 3/14) has now grown to 61 individuals. 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. According to Fox News, getting scrutiny in the controversy is the now-closed Middlesex Sampling Plant, which is a half hour away from Colonia. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. 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. Very often the first time public health officials learn about a potential community health threat, said Dr. Morello-Frosch, is through community members themselves.. T+M Associates, an environmental engineering firm, was asked to investigate a link between the school and brain cancer last month. "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. Angela M. DeCillis, a Colonia High School graduate, Class of '95. And the soil was right below where the caulking is.". Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He was born in . MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Search warrants unsealed Tuesday revealed more about what police were looking for, and what . Mr. Lupianos list of former classmates and staff members at Colonia High School with primary brain tumors hit 100 in April. Lupiano started the quest for answers, using Facebook to compile similar cases of people who worked or were students at Colonia High School. And, YESI most definitely DO! Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . But not all carcinogens cause cancer every time. All rights reserved. It doesnt just go away because the test says all clear.. Gov. or redistributed. Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to . Instead, an amalgam of carcinogens, genetic predispositions, social factors, lifestyle choices, natural aging and the random chance of spontaneous mutation sets it off, bit by bit, year by year, even decade by decade. But patience appears to be wearing thin among some in the community, judging by the petition. I have a really bad feeling we're going to find contamination beyond the high school. And experts have been able to identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those. 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. Never did I think when I started this post I would hit this number! 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. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. And once againI couldnt do this without your help!! Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. The New Jersey Departments of Health (DOH) and Environmental Protection (DEP) say they are involved in an investigation into the apparent cancer cluster, though Lupiano says he has not received requests for information from either agency. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In the case of Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply. This is 18 hours a day. By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. April 15, 2022 1:00 PM ET. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. WASHINGTON (AP) Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presented an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby . HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. The sizes of neighborhood clusters are often too small to yield statistically significant results. Some depend on the type of exposure, others unleash carcinogenesis only in people with the right genetic predisposition. His sister Angela Decillis graduated . Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist and mother of a Colonia High School rising junior and freshman, was not pacified by the results. 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. While I am thrilled to have the information coming in again, its also very troubling to see the numbers continue to grow. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? His wife was similarly diagnosed with a malignant AN tumor, and his sister was diagnosed with malignant Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), which has an incident rate of 30 out of every 1 million people. The facility, which includes several buildings on 9.6 acres, was an entry point for African uranium ores known as pitchblende. I needed more data. "It is not enough to address parents of operating school with suspected cancer cluster through written statements given to media outlets," the petition said. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School . 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. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. Lupiano believes theres a link between. 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. "We appreciate the NJDOH, NJDEP, ATSDR, and CDC assistance to the Woodbridge Townships environmental investigation that is currently ongoing, but strongly believe that this is not enough," the petition says in seeking the involvement of more state and federal agencies. Frequently, in hazmat, you never find it in the first shot," Lupiano said. 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. I dont believe so as we all came from different parts of the Township. I pray we find answers(as of 18:00 4/11, the list stands at 102 individuals), 4/5 UPDATE: There has been quite a lot of news coverage nowKatie Tur of MSNBC, NJ Spotlight, Tap Into, Infolad, etc. Casey returns to the Senate after cancer surgery 11 hours ago . 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. Brian Thompson reports. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. According to Tapinto.net, Colonia High opened in 1967, built on woodland property near the Garden State Parkway, in the communitys estate section, surrounded by residential neighborhoods.. 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. Its unclear whether any of those questions will ever be answered, and if they are, how residents would receive the responses. The natural world can also pose a threat via volcanic ash or toxin-spewing fungi. 3/31 UPDATE: Thanks to all of you, the post has gone viral. Wish me luck! Lupiano and his wife, also is a Colonia High School grad, also developed brain tumors. This is an urgent call for actionI have two leads I am exploring on what may have caused this, but I need your help! The investigation wasnt thorough enough, residents argue, and didnt involve water testing or analysis of the soil beyond radiological tests. All three of them have since come down with rare brain disorders. Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. "My thoughts are we should look into it, but it's what you would expect if you texted caulking from a building built in the 1960s. The victims all went to Colonia High School in Woodbridge in New Jersey . So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link? Parents of students at Colonia High School wonder if the 1960s-era building is contaminated with mercury or formaldehyde. A New Jersey town is planning to conduct environmental testing at Colonia High School after a resident discovered dozens of people connected to the school had developed rare brain tumors. 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. He was raised in Thornton, CO and moved to Liberal, Kansas where he married and had two girls, Chelsey and Amber. If there are any potential environmental exposure pathways identified and a need for further environmental sampling, the state Health Department will work cooperatively with ATSDR to conduct a public health assessment and evaluate the potential for health effects. When I analyzed the numbers I wasnt prepared to see the results! We understand that the state authorities will be forwarding this information to appropriate federal agencies," Massimino's letter states. In Woodbridge and elsewhere, unresolved concerns regardless of whether more can be done, scientifically can seed deep distrust and suspicion in suspected cluster communities. She also suggested air sampling be done with closed windows to make sure indoor air is not diluted. 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.. All rights reserved, concluded there was no dangerous or carcinogenic radiation there, 107 Cases of Brain Tumors Led to Investigation at NJ High School: Mayor Announces Results, Study of NJ HS at Center of Cancer Cluster Mystery Shows No Radioactivity: Mayor, Grad Inks Deal to Bring Free Brain Scans to NJ Community in Cancer Cluster Mystery, 108 people from over a period of three decades ending in the early 2000s, no traces of radioactivity found in the school, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. 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). Find Us . We all of us attended Colonia High School. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. "The medical journals are rich with data supporting ionizing radiation causes brain tumors. 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. Earlier this year, officials claimed that penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded . His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. V Th Su 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. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey . My wife Michele class of 91. What happened in Woodbridge illustrates the need for these changes, especially those aimed at bolstering the relationship between a concerned community and the public health experts facing the difficult task of investigating a suspected cluster. 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. 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. Im optimistic we may see action in the next few days. Nearly 100 Former Students and Staff From Colonia High School Develop Brain Tumors 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. The soil sample also contained some pesticides. Rich Strack, who taught English and philosophy at Colonia for about 30 years, likened the situation to a dark cloud hanging over the school. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. In 1999, the Corps prepared an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to address the Vicinity Property (VP) pile remaining at the site. Everything that was found is normal." They have to stop its not that, not going to be that. 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 . Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 03:42 PM EST. 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. The analysis can back with PCBs above federal and state standards as well as pesticides that were banned in 1988," she said. 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. In the meantime, Komorek has taken her own two daughters out of Colonia High School, but the mayor cautions against calling it a cancer cluster. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. (Google Maps). Powered by. 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. In April, Colonia High School in Colonia, New Jersey, made national headlines after more than 100 former students and staff reported online that they had been diagnosed with brain tumors, in a . The answer? At the time I was seeking treatment, my oncologist/neurosurgeon was astounded that someone my age (I was 27) had a tumor so large. I'm exhausted. 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 . Why is this alarming? Thats not body cancers and general tumorsthats 80 rare primary brain tumors! On April 10, Mr. Lupianos list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. Hold the phone in landscape mode. McCormac said he has seen Komorek's findings and consulted with the superintendent of schools. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. Sadly, several have already died. 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. If I trusted those numbers, I would be relieved, and I would be happy, she said. Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors. Ive done the leg work for them and gathered the data for the last 6 months. That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS. His most recent Facebook update, as of April 17, 2022, says that he has identified 102 cases. Twenty-two years later, in 2021, doctors discovered that his wife, Michele, had a tumor, a benign acoustic neuroma on the left side of her brain. Scientists and health activists say the governments current response to disease clusters ranges from piecemeal to nonexistent.. Why would they include classes as recent as 2021 when we know many cancers take decades or longer to develop? The Woodbridge School District superintendent at the time then added: Radioactivity is ubiquitous in the environment. Rohit Ranjan. 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. The Middlesex Sampling Plant is located at 239 Mountain Avenue in Middlesex, New Jersey. 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. "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. Image: Unsplash. Komorek said some studies suggest a relationship between exposure to PCBs and a greater risk of developing brain tumors. Dose, too, is a major factor. 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. It was Lupiano, who is an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, who started connecting the dots. So, why am I asking for help? Some workers, such as miners and firefighters, are exposed to known carcinogens during their careers.
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