The reports have been brought to the attention of local officials who are now looking into them. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. The onset of brain tumors in more than one hundred people who attended or worked at Colonia High School in New Jersey has continued to baffle experts. "Woodbridge Township contacted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the CDC, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (which is part of CDC), and the state Department of Health last week, and we've begun initial discussions with them.". There's a vast array of treatments, but again, we're dealing with so many different types of primary brain tumors here that they're all treated very differently. Dr. Joseph Massimino, superintendent of Woodbridge Township School District has commented that they are waiting for more details and formulating next steps, in coordination with New Jersey environmental agencies. The soil also tested positive for excessive levels of chlordane, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide all pesticides, the report said. Fortunately one of the survivors is an environmentalscientist Al Lupiano, who is bringing attention to this and he is relentlessly looking for answers. Other toxic elements and compounds could exist at the schools property due to presence of suspected fill material, potential illegal disposal of chemicals or contaminant migration from surrounding properties, Komorek stated in her letter. The couple's neurologist was baffled. Also, just on Monday Gov. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. Today, he still suffers lingering effects. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. 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. What steps are investigators taking to try to figure this out? Last year, Lupianos wife and sister also developed brain tumors, as first reported byCBS New York. 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 cause hasn't been discovered yet, but some researchers suspect . Youre 98.6, youre fine, go home. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. Radiologic Technologist Per Diem. 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). ", "Just the sheer numbers of cases he's found is staggering," McCormac continued. "I am beyond pleased to announce that after an extensive field investigation that included assessing the classrooms, school building materials, and the entire 28 acres of the Colonia High School campus, no radiological hazards were identified that warrant further investigation," he wrote in a letter to families. Lupiano, an environmental scientist, began researching the matter and reaching out to people on Facebook who had attended the school and been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. NJ cluster of brain cancer prompts investigation, We rely on your support to make local news available to all, Astoria pool will be closed this summer for renovations: Parks, Gov. Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media. Jason Wisinksi lost his wife Janice 10 years ago to an inoperable brain tumor called Anaplastic Astrocytoma. I could go on. "Colonia is not a mega high school. He has contacted: Mayor McCormac confirmed these details yesterday to PEOPLE Magazine. A cluster of over 100 rare brain tumors in the past 30 years sparks a health inspection at Colonia High School in New Jersey. The sudden death of his sister led Lupiano on a research mission about the rare brain tumors. 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. 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. ', Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts. Lupiano's sister passed away in February, 2022 at the young age of 44. The school is expected to remain open during this time. Township officials have posted the radiological reports on the township website at www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us. Earlier this spring . 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. Both parents of children in school and current teachers and staff deserve answers. Lupianoknew that something was very wrong here. He said he is specifically looking for anyone who graduated from or attend Colonia High School from approximately 1975 to 1995. Over 1,300 cases have been reported of people getting sick after eating the Lucky Charms cereal. All rights reserved (About Us). (RELATED: Video Shows Man Repeatedly Running Over Woman With SUV After Minor Incident). 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. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, Belvidere Jeep assembly plant shut down indefinitely, Chicago Weather: Cloudy and much cooler Thursday. That's what makes the numbers staggering," says Lupiano. The brain tumor cases, appearing over a thirty-year period, are a significant medical mystery that has caused alarm for experts. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Woodbridge Township is paying T&M Associates $221,350 to do the radon testing. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. Facebook Colonia High School A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. An investigation into the possible link between Colonia High School and cancer found no radiological hazards that warranted further investigation. 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. 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. Here are the details: The lists below show 4-year graduation rates for New Jersey public schools for the 2020-21 school year. While Lupianos wife Michele is still undergoing treatment, his sister Angela died in February, just months after her diagnosis. The Anti-Defamation League said the phrase at the center of the question was popularized as a trolling campaign by members of 4chan a notorious anonymous message board and was adopted by . A stock photo shows medical workers looking at a brain scan or brain scans. I don't trust anyone who says that nuclear plant was safe. In a statement to CBS News, Lupiano said he is anxiously awaiting the results of the two-week-long radiological survey which concluded this weekend and he anticipates he will receive the results in weeks. Job specializations: Healthcare. They learned of their tumors just eight days apart, while Janice was pregnant with her and Jason's only child. At that time, I only had 15 people on the list, and I decided after grieving for a few weeksit was time now to go public and ask people to help me.. She made it five years," said Jason Wisinski. 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. Theres no telling if they're going to find answers here. "My wife fought like crazy. So, would you take us through what is known so far about this cluster? Luciano has reported his findings to Colonia High School. . Three weeks later, Komorek collected a caulk sample from a northern exterior wall of the school and sent it to another state-certified lab in Fairfield. 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 . Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, said Lupiano. 3 min read. 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. Unfortunately, it turned out to be stage 4 glioblastoma. They are testing the grounds outside and inside of the high school inside. Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist and a 1989 graduate of the N.J. high school began investigating Colonia High School in Woodbridge when he realized many others with ties to the school suffered the rare brain tumors, just like he did, 20 years ago. 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. National Cancer Institutes list of 27 common afflictions. All three family members attended Colonia High, the NY Post noted. Massimino sent the same statement to NJ Advance Media Monday. The lists, which are sorted by county and include a separate list for charter schools, also include a second graduation rate, which excludes students whose special education IEPs allow them to qualify for diplomas despite not meeting typical coursework and attendance requirements. Woodbridge will not get preliminary test results until after this Saturday, April 23, said Hagerty. His wife graduated in 1991. They learned of their tumors eight days apart. 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. "I had recalled two family friends, the Black sisters, had also passed of these brain tumors," Lupiano said. He was diagnosed 20 years ago. Donate today, Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations. Nsikan was previously at National Geographic where he worked as a science editor, overseeing its COVID-19 coverage in addition to other topics in science, health and technology. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. 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. The New Jersey state Department of Health. Is it a cancer cluster or just a coincidence? There's a lot of speculation running rampant about what could be causing this, but to date, there has been nothing found. What treatments are available for the afflicted? 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. Since . 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. Is Colonia High School the cause of primary brain tumors in former students and staff from 1975 to 1995? Listing for: Select Medical Corporation. So, would . Please consider subscribing to NJ.com. 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 . 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. 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. Environmental scientists are investigating reports of increased instances of brain tumors at Colonia High School in New Jersey. WOODBRIDGE, NJ Air quality testing is being done at Colonia High School this week, while the Woodbridge school district is closed for spring break. At the time, the medium lifespan for her type of tumor was 18 months. DeCillis died in February from glioblastoma multiforme, a form of brain cancer. That is the conclusion federal, state, county and township officials concluded after weeks of radiological testing inside and outside of school grounds in April and May. A video posted on TikTok video by Dr. Joe Whittington, a board-certified doctor in California gave this issue much needed public attention. Woodbridge Mayor John McCormick lives just a few blocks from the high school. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. This all came to fruition in August of last year, and it just startled Lupiano. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," said Lupiano. Radiological assessments will be conducted throughout the schools 28-acre campus, as well as indoor radon testing, this coming Easter weekend, the New York Post reported. Earlier this year, 1989 Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano developed a list of more than 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school from the 1970s to 1990s. 100 former students, staff of Colonia High School in New Jersey say they have rare brain tumors. 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.". All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. It's just that rare. LOS ANGELES (AP) More than a week after Tom Sizemore suffered a brain aneurysm, a representative says the actor's family is "now deciding end of life matters." "Today, doctors informed . Lupiano has found nearly 200 people with links to Colonia High School who have brain tumors or other rare cancers. 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.. And there are many different forms of these cancers. A high school in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, is being investigated by environmental experts after reports of more than 100 former students and staff being diagnosed with brain tumors. "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. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. 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. The sample was collected using a laboratory-prepared hexane wipe and placed in a pre-cleaned, laboratory-provided jar, with a screw-on lid. Jason Wisinski is another person affected by the spate of tumor cases. 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. Nsikan runs the health and science desk at WNYC/Gothamist. Qualifications: Current and valid New Jersey Registered Nurse license is required. Concerns were raised by Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of Colonia High School, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor along with his wife Michele and sister Angela DeCillis, both of whom had. 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 . The 50-year-old claims the diseases could be traced. Lupiano is still looking for any and all Colonia High School alumni to come forward. 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. It's not contaminated water. 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. He is presently working with local officials to address the situation. Exterior shots of Colonia High School in Colonia, NJ on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Immediate action from our State and Federal agencies is warranted, Lupiano said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. It will take about two weeks. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2023. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. CNN's Ana Cabrera speaks to Al Lupiano, a former student. 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 had stage 4 cancer. Was safe been reported of people getting sick after eating the Lucky Charms cereal McCormac! Days apart, while Janice was pregnant with her and jason 's only child this. 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