Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. This is the preliminary step that they're taking to see if they can find anything. Lupiano was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer) when he was 27 years old, about 25 years ago. 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. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. They are testing the grounds outside and inside of the high school inside. There have been some outlier cases. Print |. On the National Cancer Institutes list of 27 common afflictions, tumors in the brain and nervous system rank 19th in terms of case rate but 5th-lowest in terms of the chances of survival. Fortunately one of the survivors is an environmentalscientist Al Lupiano, who is bringing attention to this and he is relentlessly looking for answers. Exterior shots of Colonia High School in Colonia, NJ on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Also, just on Monday Gov. All three were diagnosed with a brain tumor. Some are incredibly aggressive forms of cancer that need very aggressive forms of treatment. There may need to be other steps taken. 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. Lupiano is still looking for any and all Colonia High School alumni to come forward. Listing for: Select Medical Corporation. 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. Angela has four daughters who have or will go to Colonia High School. 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. "I had recalled two family friends, the Black sisters, had also passed of these brain tumors," Lupiano said. Mystery as 100 people. Newsweek has reached out to Colonia High School and McCormac. Mar 30, 2022 The Wanted's Tom Parker Dies at 33 After Brain Tumor Battle Al Lupiano, a graduate of the high school, believes there's a link between Colonia High School and brain. Lupiano became focused as to why all three of them had contracted these rare brain tumors. As a concerned uncle and community member, I pray we find nothing, Lupiano says. 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. Sign up for Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com, this resolution approved at their April 5 meeting, Brain Tumor Link To Colonia High School 'Credible,' Town's Mayor Says. Gothamist is a website about New York City news, arts, events and food, brought to you by New York Public Radio. You can find glioblastoma, which are terminal. Lupianos wife was also diagnosed with a brain tumor, the NY Post reported. She also requested the district embark on additional environmental testing. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. "In addition, DEP's further review does not indicate sources of environmental exposures of concern to public health. 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. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. "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. "My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day, I talk to her all the time," Wisinski said. Unfortunately, hers was terminal, and she died in February. A video posted on TikTok video by Dr. Joe Whittington, a board-certified doctor in California gave this issue much needed public attention. That is what Al Lupiano, Colonia High School (CHS) Class of 1989, wants to find out after . WOODBRIDGE Levels of radiation in and around Colonia High School were found to be consistent with typical background levels of radiation found in New Jersey and no further testing is warranted. The community is absolutely unnerved and absolutely terrified by what's going on here. Facebook Colonia High School A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. The school was built in 1967 and currently serves roughly 1,300 students, the NY Post noted. However, I still think we need to expedite the next phase of testing including water, soil, and air, to determine if more than one contaminant is present, he said. 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. Listed on 2023-03-02. "That's something that we take very seriously. Find NJ.com on Faceboo. Hill: Brain tumors, relative to other types of cancer, are typically rare but can be very lethal. Are you a Colonia High School graduate that has been diagnosed with a brain tumor? "The EPA and CDC are not testing at Colonia High School," said Hagerty. 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. It's not air. I pray we find answers. Township officials have posted the radiological reports on the township website at www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Janice was pregnant with her and Jason's only child. Our journalism needs your support. 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. 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. 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. "Colonia is not a mega high school. He shared a 2020 Emmy for the PBS NewsHour series Stopping a Killer Pandemic and in 2019 received a George FosterPeabodyAwardfor the PBS NewsHour series The Plastic Problem. Nsikan has also worked for NPR, Science News Magazine, Science Magazine, KUSP Central Coast Public Radio, the Santa Cruz Sentinel and as a writer at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. 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. Lupiano told CBS News New York that"Fast forward to August of last year My sister received the news she had a primary brain tumor, herself. Brain cancer is relatively rare but very dangerous. 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 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 . I will uncover the truth," Lupiano said to NJ.com. No one knows why. Part Time, Per diem position. 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. Environmental engineers have been testing for radiation at Colonia High School in New Jersey after reports that over 100 former students and staff members were diagnosed with brain tumors. 3 min read. 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. 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. So, would you take us through what is known so far about this cluster? She loves a good music pun and wakes up very very early. Before National Geographic, he worked for more than four years at PBS NewsHour, where he co-created anaward-winning video series named ScienceScope. Its not contaminated water. He is keeping a list. Komorek presented her findings Monday to Woodbridge superintendent Joseph Massimino, Colonia principal Kenneth Pace and Woodbridge Education Association president Brian Geoffroy. Job in West Orange - Essex County - NJ New Jersey - USA , 07052. 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. The mother, Edyta Komorek, who has worked as an environmental scientist since 2006, said she collected dust, window caulk and soil samples from Colonia that tested for excessive levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide all carcinogenic compounds that can lead to cancer and other diseases. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The conversation is available below. 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. Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com. But even more rare was the fact that his wife and sister later found out that they had similar medical conditions. 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Lupiano has confirmed that he will not stop until he finds out what has happened here over the years at Colonia High School. "They are working with the Township to review the test findings and prepare a course of action if necessary.". 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, Lupiano said. Here are the details: The lists below show 4-year graduation rates for New Jersey public schools for the 2020-21 school year. Whittington a board-certified MD in California claimed several of the brain tumors developed by ex-Colonia High staff and students are glioblastoma multiforme an aggressive cancer. Lupiano grew up in Woodbridge Township and he now works as an environmental scientist; he no longer lives in Woodbridge. 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. Through his posts, Lupiano, CHS Class of 1989, wanted to find out if CHS is the cause of primary brain tumors that have affected more than 100 former students and staff. Its not something in soil. 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. The ground and air testing will begin on Saturday. Lupiano also lost his younger sister to the disease in February at the age of 44, the outlet continued. "100as of midnight Sunday 4/10, I recorded the 100th case of someone having a primary brain tumor," Lupiano wrote on Facebook last Monday, April 11. "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,'" he told Fox News. Theres no telling if they're going to find answers here. The environmental testing is expected to last a month. His wife graduated in 1991. I had stage 4 cancer. McCormac, along with schools Superintendent Joseph Massimino; Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; and Judith Persichilli, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, announced the results of the radiation testing during a press conference at CHS on May 26. It motivated Lupiano to create a Facebook group to determine if there were more Colonia High School alumni had developed brain tumors or other conditions. The brain tumor cases, appearing over a thirty-year period, are a significant medical mystery that has caused alarm for experts. 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. Youre 98.6, youre fine, go home. T&M Associates subcontracted Cabrera Services Inc., a radiological environmental and remediation company, of East Hartford, Connecticut. He told WABC that he lost his wife Janice to an inoperable brain tumor 10 years ago and that her sister Cheryl died from brain cancer in 2015. 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. 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. "When I started looking into it, I quickly amassed 15 of our classmates with these rare brain tumors," he told NewsNation. The institute predicts about 290,000 people will develop breast cancer in 2022 compared to 25,000 for brain cancer. He received his . 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 of brain tumors, cancers, and other central nervous disorders in former students and staff members. Dozens of former teachers and. 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. 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. 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. Rohit Ranjan. They were diagnosed on the same day last summer. My list quickly started multiplyingit all seemed to be linked back to the high school. Colonia High School graduateAl Lupiano talks to @KatyTurNBC about gathering names of over 80 individuals with rare brain tumors who attended the school. Exterior shots of Colonia High School in Colonia, NJ on Thursday, April 7, 2022. We have to really take a look at it," said Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac. 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. 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 . The city of Woodbridge, NJ is conducting an investigation after more than 100 former students and staff at the local Colonia High School were found to have developed brain . 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. 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. Were all concerned, and we all want to get to the bottom of this. Lupiano says that most of the people on his list were at the high school prior to 1997. "What I find alarming is there's truly only one environmental link to primary brain tumors and that's ionizing radiation, said Lupiano. This all came to fruition in August of last year, and it just startled Lupiano. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Lupiano, his wife and his sister all Colonia High grads were all diagnosed with rare brain tumors. At the time, medium lifespan for her type of tumor was 18 months. 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. Lupiano also says people who did not attend the school but live nearby have gotten in touch with him to express their concerns. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. Komorek was so alarmed by the findings that she decided to pull her daughters out of Colonia this week and enroll them in another Woodbridge high school, per the districts transfer policy. In May, the district and state announced an environmental assessment of all 28 acres in and around Colonia found no traces of radiological contaminants and the school was deemed safe for students and staff. He was diagnosed 20 years ago. $4 Million Settlement Mass Torts $203 Million Class Action Financial Services $75 Million Class Action Mass Torts $200 Million Class Action Radiology, Allied Health, Radiologic Technologist, Neurophysiology. 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. 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