Facebook Colonia High School A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. 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 says that most of the people on his list were at the high school prior to 1997. So, would you take us through what is known so far about this cluster? Gothamist is a website about New York City news, arts, events and food, brought to you by New York Public Radio. An alumnus of Colonia High School in Woodbridege, N.J. is investigating his former high school, claiming he has counted 115 people who attended or worked there to have had a rare brain tumor, according to CBS News. And today we now stand at 117 individuals with primary brain tumors, and another 70 with very rare cancers.". A scientist and mother is demanding answers after tests she conducted found cancer-causing toxins and materials were present at the school where more than 100 former students have since been. This is the preliminary step that they're taking to see if they can find anything. It's just that rare. 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.". Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . Primary brain tumors are tumors that originate in the brain, as opposed to secondary tumors which start somewhere else and then spread to the brain. After some digging, a man who attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, discovered more than 100 former students and staff members had been diagnosed with the same sort of brain tumor diagnosed in his wife, his sister and himself. Jason Wisinski is another person affected by the spate of tumor cases. In presenting her findings, Komorek urged the district to share her findings with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Angela has four daughters who have or will go to Colonia High School. Komorek presented her findings Monday to Woodbridge superintendent Joseph Massimino, Colonia principal Kenneth Pace and Woodbridge Education Association president Brian Geoffroy. Columns with an asterisk or 'N' indicate there was no data or it was suppressed to protect student privacy. 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. "My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day - I talk to her all the time," Wisinski said. Colonia High School was reportedly the common denominator among those suffering from the tumors Credit: CBS NEW YORK Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. Correction 04/26/2022 9.51 a.m. The cause hasn't been discovered yet, but some researchers suspect . Hill: Brain tumors, relative to other types of cancer, are typically rare but can be very lethal. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2023. There may need to be other steps taken. The mother of two Colonia High students who believed not enough environmental testing was done in the aftermath of reports of a possible brain tumor cluster connected to the school told NJ Advance Media she has found evidence of highly toxic chemicals at Colonia through her own independent testing. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. Stanmyre: Right now, the number this week is up to 117 people who have been found to have a primary brain tumor of some sorts, according to data from Al Lupiano, who is the Colonia graduate who has kind of spearheaded all of this. Al Lupiano has found 107 people with primary brain tumors who all attended or worked at Colonia High School. They may need to excavate soil underneath the school. Lupiano, an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, picked up on a trend. Our sister station WABC-TV has reached out to the EPA for comment. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. Her sister, Cheryl Black also died from brain cancer in 2015. Lupiano was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer) when he was 27 years old, about 25 years ago. Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac immediately and responsibly got engaged. By pairing specialists and experts in the field of cancer with robust resources, facilities, and technologies, Hackensack Meridian Cancer Care is committed to getting patients back to the life they love. After nearly 100 people who attended the same New Jersey high school developed rare brain tumors, an alumnus and cancer survivor is demanding answers. I didnt feel that my kids were safe there until actual soil, groundwater and air samples were collected and nobody wanted to do it.. 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. Unfortunately, that didnt happen.. Mayor McCormac says the Environmental Protection Agency is now involved. The institute predicts about 290,000 people will develop breast cancer in 2022 compared to 25,000 for brain cancer. He said he is specifically looking for anyone who graduated from or attend Colonia High School from approximately 1975 to 1995. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Lupiano also lost his younger sister to the disease in February at the age of 44, the outlet continued. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. This is when a low-level radioactive rock was found and removed from the school grounds. As of Thursday, Lupiano said he has confirmed 65 cases of people with rare brain tumors and they all are either Colonia High School graduates or had worked there, he says. It should also be noted that not all the reports of primary brain tumors are cancerous. An investigation into the possible link between Colonia High School and cancer found no radiological hazards that warranted further investigation. 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 Jersey Department of Health. They are also both graduates of Colonia High School. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. Photo credit Google Street View. I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15, he told CBS News York of the list, which now totals 115 people who had either malignant or benign tumors. In his first public comments on the matter, Murphy told reporters he is taking this issue "very seriously," but also cautioned: "I don't know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation," Murphy said, according to 101.5. No one knows why. 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. 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. Please consider subscribing to NJ.com. National Cancer Institutes list of 27 common afflictions. Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily. It has been lightly edited for clarity. A comprehensive investigation of soil, indoor air, and groundwater shall be conducted to determine if children and staff are exposed to unhealthy levels of toxins other than already identified PCBs and pesticides., In his letter to the parents in the school district, Massimino wrote: 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. Advertisement. You can find glioblastoma, which are terminal. "I went on Facebook on March 7, and I asked for the people on Facebook to help me find others. Almost 100 people from the very same New Jersey high school have all developed brain tumors. They all attended or worked at Colonia High School most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000. 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. Before National Geographic, he worked for more than four years at PBS NewsHour, where he co-created anaward-winning video series named ScienceScope. Lupiano has confirmed that he will not stop until he finds out what has happened here over the years at Colonia High School. Rohit Ranjan. Hochul deflects when asked about 'good cause' eviction bill, Judge: Former coach's discrimination lawsuit against New York Giants and NFL can proceed, Supreme Court justices pour water on NYs push to save mob-busting seaport watchdog, NJ Legislature OKs bill to make landlords, sellers warn residents about past floods. I pray we find answers. The environmental testing is expected to last a month. Massimino said in the memo the district has contacted our environmental consultants, the Health Department of the Township of Woodbridge, and Township Officials to review the information. He also said the township shared the information with the State Department of Environmental Protection and the State Department of Health.. 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. Lupianos wife was also diagnosed with a brain tumor, the NY Post reported. The ground and air testing will begin on Saturday. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. The reports he got back were startling, and he saw patterns emerging. As per this resolution approved at their April 5 meeting, the Woodbridge town Council hired T & M Associates and Cabrera Services, Inc. to do the radon testing (officially called "environmental engineering services for radiological assessment") at the high school. An investigation has been launched after more than 100 people who attended a high. She also requested the district embark on additional environmental testing. If you are an alumni or staff member of Colonia High School and have developed a brain tumor, contact MLG today! Komorek, Lupiano and several other parents criticized the assessment which did not include taking soil or water samples for not being thorough enough to put their minds at ease, despite assurances from state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. The statewide graduation rate fell slightly, from 91% in 2019-20 to 90.6%. But according to the new results, the school currently poses no danger. 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. Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, said Lupiano. "It's alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor - malignant or benign, and it's serious. Al Lupiano revealed he had a brain tumor 20 years ago, before his wife had one and so did his sister - who died in February aged just 44. 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