colonia high school brain tumors

Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and faculty were found to have been diagnosed with. They said they took your temperature. T&M Associates subcontracted Cabrera Services Inc., a radiological environmental and remediation company, of East Hartford, Connecticut. Doctor/Physician. But we'd love to be able to rule out the school.". ", ALSO READ | Onlookers urged police to charge into TX school: 'Go in there! Lupiano's sister, Angela, died on February 17 from Glioblastoma Multiforme or GBM. Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com. utah778/Getty Work began on . A man investigating his former high school in New Jersey says he has counted 115 people who attended or worked there have had a rare brain tumor. Find NJ.com on Faceboo. Advocates, for months, implored state and local officials to undertake more testing. He made a public plea on Facebook to anyone from the school who was diagnosed with primary brain tumors. The reports have been brought to the attention of local officials who are now looking into them. Lupiano started researching. Nearly 100 people attending a single high school in New Jersey have developed rare forms of brain cancer. SOURCES:PEOPLE Magazine, CBS News New York, New York Post, NJ.com &Dr. Joe Whittington. 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). An investigation has been launched after more than 100 people who attended a high. Almost 100 people from the very same New Jersey high school have all developed brain tumors. Last year, Lupianos wife and sister also developed brain tumors, as first reported byCBS New York. National Cancer Institutes list of 27 common afflictions. Then making matters even worse, the same day that Michelle Lupiano (Al's wife) was diagnosed with her brain tumor, Al's sister Angela DeCillis was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac immediately and responsibly got engaged. Its not contaminated water. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. They learned of their tumors just eight days apart, while Janice was pregnant with her and Jason's only child. For her part, Komorek said she took it upon herself to do the independent testing for my own peace of mind, to sleep at night, and for my girls to remain at the school., I was hoping it was going to come back negative, she added. 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. Pictured, a stock image of a brain scan. "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. Courtesy Al Lupiano. But I want to be careful to say that it's very early in the investigation. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? But even more rare was the fact that his wife and sister later found out that they had similar medical conditions. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. In April, the township entered an emergency agreement with T&M Associates, of Middletown, for professional environmental engineering services for a radiological assessment of Colonia High in an amount not to exceed $221,350. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. When a former student at Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, realized that he, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors, he wondered if something about their high. How many people do we mean here? The ground and air testing will begin on Saturday. 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. ", "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. Jason Wisinksi lost his wife Janice 10 years ago to an inoperable brain tumor called Anaplastic Astrocytoma. Over 1,300 cases have been reported of people getting sick after eating the Lucky Charms cereal. Lupiano became focused as to why all three of them had contracted these rare brain tumors. 2023 New York Public Radio. He holds a doctorate in pathobiology from Columbia University and is an alum of the science communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He started researching and made a public plea on Facebook to anyone from the school who was diagnosed with primary brain tumors. All three were diagnosed with a brain tumor. The institute predicts about 290,000 people will develop breast cancer in 2022 compared to 25,000 for brain cancer. Her sister, Cheryl Black also died from brain cancer in 2015. Qualifications: Current and valid New Jersey Registered Nurse license is required. I could go on. Lupiano has spearheaded a public push for answers after he started a Facebook group focused on former Colonia students and the rare brain cancer, the outlet noted. ', * 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. 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. The sample was collected using a laboratory-prepared hexane wipe and placed in a pre-cleaned, laboratory-provided jar, with a screw-on lid. "Given the ongoing environmental investigation and testing, it is premature to comment on any link and/or causation of cancer diagnosis that may or may not be related to Colonia High School," said Woodbridge town spokesman Hagerty. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. When he started digging and looking for a link, the common link was Colonia High School. This all began last year when Al Lupiano made a startling discovery. It should also be noted that not all the reports of primary brain tumors are cancerous. It will take about two weeks. Just simple math in my head having a husband and wife with this tumor, which arent related and then to have my sister with a blastoma, I knew something was wrong, Lupiano says. 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Sneak Peek At Woodbridge Mayor's Mailer Urging 'Yes' Vote On March 14, Woodbridge Woman Writes Her 2nd Fiction Novel, Critically Praised, Perth Amboy Outerbridge Crossing Crash Blocks Lane Tuesday: DOT, NJ Camp Fairs at Menlo Park Mall Mar 4, 2023 - FREE to Attend (12-3PM), 2023 Spring Garden Tea Party Gift Auction, Raisin, The Tony-Winning Best Musical - Second Incredible Week, Johns Crazy Socks Enters the Wholesale Channel so Retail Stores Can Sell Our Socks, Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, The Doobie Brothers Play In New Brunswick July 8,9, Highest NJ Property Taxes: See Where Your Town Ranks On New List, Person Shot During Police Encounter At South Jersey Rest Stop: AG. Lupiano, his wife Michele (CHS Class of 1991) and his sister Angela (CHS Class of 1995) were all diagnosed with rare, similar sized brain tumors on the left side. All three family members attended Colonia High, the NY Post noted. State health officials are now conducting an investigation into the cluster of 117 people. There's a lot of speculation running rampant about what could be causing this, but to date, there has been nothing found. Part Time, Per diem position. She said she collected a dust sample from the top of the stall in a womens bathroom inside Colonia on Aug. 30, then sent it to a state-certified laboratory in Mountainside for testing. You can find glioblastoma, which are terminal. 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. My MIL died of lung cancer. Both had graduated from Colonia High School, the news outlet reported. The incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of 1,000,000 people. All Rights Reserved. The municipal council in Woodbridge, which oversees Colonia High School, approved an emergency contract earlier this month to start radiological testing of the grounds at the high school. 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. "Colonia is not a mega high school. Are you a Colonia High School graduate that has been diagnosed with a brain tumor? So, would you take us through what is known so far about this cluster? We have to really take a look at it," said Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac. They said it was about a one in a billion odds. Friday, April 22, 2022. She made it five years," said Jason Wisinski. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. 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. Additionally, T&M Associates has begun conducting historic site research to obtain any and all necessary records related to the construction of Colonia High School when it was built in 1967, through to the present. 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 . (Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media). A video posted on TikTok video by Dr. Joe Whittington, a board-certified doctor in California gave this issue much needed public attention. Hill: Brain tumors, relative to other types of cancer, are typically rare but can be very lethal. As the school remains open during the investigation, some students are concerned. The statewide graduation rate fell slightly, from 91% in 2019-20 to 90.6%. All rights reserved. Nsikan runs the health and science desk at WNYC/Gothamist. A single New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking 100 people diagnosed with rare cancers or tumors to a Woodbridge high school. 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 . And today we now stand at 117 individuals with primary brain tumors, and another 70 with very rare cancers.". His wife was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, which is a benign brain tumor and is the exact same brain tumor that Al Lupiano himself was diagnosed with 22 years ago. In 1999, when he was just 27, Al. Lupiano also lost his younger sister to the disease in February at the age of 44, the outlet continued. A stock photo shows medical workers looking at a brain scan or brain scans. Also, just on Monday Gov. Environmental engineering firm T+M Associates has been contracted by the township to test for radiation on the grounds of the high school, which was built in 1967. "My wife fought like crazy. 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. The action (should) be undertaken immediately, due to high exceedances of the State and Federal regulatory standards for PCBs and pesticides, as well as the fact that PCBs and chlordane inhalation may be occurring by students and staff, Komorek stated in a letter to district officials. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 people . (RELATED: Video Shows Man Repeatedly Running Over Woman With SUV After Minor Incident). Google Maps. Lupianoknew that something was very wrong here. The video has been viewed more than 3 million times.Whittington believes that the Colonia High School students and staff have developed glioblastoma multiforme, a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumor that invades the nearby brain tissue. 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 . One former student, Al Lupiano, 50, was diagnosed with brain tumors in the 1990s but subsequently recovered, according to NJ.com. Facebook Colonia High School A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. Immediate action from our State and Federal agencies is warranted, Lupiano said. Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000, said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the news. Mayor McCormac says the Environmental Protection Agency is now involved. I pray we find answers. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance," his Facebook post read. The results will then be reviewed by federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency, plus the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health. The conversation is available below. "In addition, DEP's further review does not indicate sources of environmental exposures of concern to public health. Janice's sister Chery Black also died from brain cancer in 2015. Our journalism needs your support. "It's not something done to us due to bad habits, said Lupiano. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. Earlier this year, Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist and Colonia High School graduate, discovered more than 115 people who spent time at the school had a rare brain tumor. Unfortunately, hers was terminal, and she died in February. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2023. 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. What treatments are available for the afflicted? What steps are investigators taking to try to figure this out? I just felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions regarding the school, Komorek told NJ Advance Media. Donate today, Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations. When it didnt happen, Komorek who earned a joint degree in environmental science from Rutgers and New Jersey Institute of Technology and specializes in air, ground water and soil contamination took matters into her own hands. The township announced results of an investigation. 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. "I had told my sister from the very beginning that there was too much of a coincidence that me, my wife and her all have the same tumor," he said. An investigation into the possible link between Colonia High School and cancer found no radiological hazards that warranted further investigation. There have been some outlier cases. "In conclusion, the results of the radiological investigation at the high school and grounds are within the normal variation of background radiation levels in New Jersey and are therefore not indicative of concern over radiological exposure to individuals at the site," state DEP Commisioner Shawn LaTourette wrote in a letter to the township. He found a total of 104 former students and faculty, and about half were cancerous. Lupiano says that most of the people on his list were at the high school prior to 1997. Is not a mega High school prior to 1997 assistance, '' said Jason.... Newsweek 's free newsletters early in the investigation for NJ Advance Media Mayor says. About 290,000 people will develop breast cancer in 2015 that they had similar conditions... Board-Certified doctor in California gave this issue much needed public attention be careful to say that it 's early... As the school remains open during the investigation, some students are concerned if were... 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