colonia high school cancer

The study doesnt close anything. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. A cancer survivor is vowing to untangle the twisted mystery of why almost 100 people associated with a New Jersey high school have developed "extremely" rare malignant brain tumours. ", The agencies continued: "The Department of Health will work with the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to provide an assessment of the potential health effects. At the time, medium lifespan for her type of tumor was 18 months. Al Lupiano, a former Colonia High School student, Pop-punk band New Found Glory playing rare performance near NJ, The cast of Home Improvement what they look like now, Bristol Palin on the mend after 9th breast augmentation, There is now a 24-hour Rocky TV channel, Gisele Bundchens post-Tom Brady magazine cover fuels satanic panic, These Speciale meatballs named best balls in New Jersey, Reward yourself! 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. "If we saw anything that said the school or the grounds were not safe, we would do something instantly. Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain Tumors, What Is Aphasia? Ray Kent Carlile, "Ray Cool Cat Carlile" was born in Wichita, Kansas May 20, 1957 to Margaret and Earl Carlile and passed away at his home in Canon City on February 23, 2023. A A. 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. According to My Central New Jersey, the mayor said the school site was vacant land until the school was built in 1967, so he believes there is little chance anything was in the ground before then, but if there is anything on site, it could have come from fill during the construction phase.. Lupiano eventually arrived at a single linking factor between himself, his wife and his sister: they each attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge in the 1990s. "The agencies acknowledged their concerns regarding the potential cancer cluster, but are not conducting any testing aside from radiation and radon that the Township undertook, even though the school remains open. Since the previously stated incident rate of GBM and AN is 10-30 out of 1,000,000, the rate of CHS brain tumors is 30,000 out of 1,000,000. The situation first came to light after Colonia High School alumnus Al Lupiano identified at least 104 former students and staff who suffered from rare brain tumors and cancer. But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. The draft guidelines promote listening skills and empathy on the part of state and local health department representatives, the sharing of information upon which decisions are made, and developing communication plans in advance of concerns being raised to build trust and credibility, said Dr. Breysse. Lupiano, an environmental scientist who tested ground samples for toxins over the course of his 33-year career, has suggested that the school's grounds could be contaminated, pointing to Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant as a potential linking factor behind the 100-plus tumors. While generally only life threatening if left untreated, radiation and surgical removal typically leaves individuals with numerous debilitations including chronic headaches, balance issues, fatigue, deafness, slurred speech, inability to blink, and facial paralysis (to name only a few), and that assumes it doesnt begin to regrow in the future. Image: Unsplash. Ive requested a few pieces of historical data, trying to determine the history of the site prior to the construction of the HS. Phil Murphy told NJ.com the possible brain tumor cluster was disturbing but stressed it was too soon to make definitive conclusions about the cause. Why would they include classes as recent as 2021 when we know many cancers take decades or longer to develop? Since posting this a few days ago, the current number of confirmed (as of 1900 hours, 3/14) has now grown to 61 individuals. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links, Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Dozens of former teachers and students have . "We and our children deserve more! Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Radiation tests are being carried out at a New Jersey high school where over 100 former students and staff are reported to have developed brain tumors and cancerand the . However, the agency accepts a greater responsibility for helping communities cope with this uncertainty and the lack of resolution that often characterizes these investigations. Back in March, Colonia High graduate Al Lupiano posted his theory about possible links between brain tumors diagnoses among 1990s and early 2000s graduates of Colonia High and since then, he . 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.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. Prove to us theres nothing, he said. A Record of Decision (ROD) for Soils was signed September 2005. In 1980s, the contaminated residential properties were cleaned up, and the excavated soil was stored at the site in a specially constructed pile, known as the Vicinity Properties (VP) pile. This is alarming if true! 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. ", Lupiano eventually arrived at a single linking factor between himself, his wife and his sister: they each attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge in the 1990s. $9 Million Contract from National Cancer Institute Awarded for NJ State Cancer Registry. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. A part of the campus is named for Pat Barbato - a longtime football coach . For public health officials, resolving this tension is the macro version of bedside manner: How do you reassure a frightened patient that nothings wrong? "I wasn't happy and I knew that they didn't do enough sampling, didn't test soil, groundwater tests for PCBs," Komorek said. Ten L Man High School. The Environmental Protection Agency and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are now leading the investigation into the high instances of brain tumor diagnoses among Colonia High School students and staff. Graphic Video Captures Death of 14-Year-Old Boy on Orlando Free Fall Amusement Ride. The investigation wasnt thorough enough, residents argue, and didnt involve water testing or analysis of the soil beyond radiological tests. On the same day, his sister, Angela, learned she had a fast-growing malignant tumor, also on the left side of her brain. This list too has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals. According to Fox News, getting scrutiny in the controversy is the now-closed Middlesex Sampling Plant, which is a half hour away from Colonia. An investigation has . The natural world can also pose a threat via volcanic ash or toxin-spewing fungi. By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. 27 /r/newjersey, 2023-02-22, 22:36:15 Permalink. In the 1980[s], the contaminated residential properties were cleaned up, and the excavated soil was stored at the site in a specially constructed pile, known as the Vicinity Properties (VP) pile," the USACE New York Division's website states. Here are some tips. 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. At an educational board meeting in June, Mrs. Komorek laid out the possible leads she and others would like to see explored, like whether the schools 1960s-era building materials contain mercury or formaldehyde. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 11:29 AM EST. I have requested a discussion with the Department of Health, and if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies. 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). McCormac said the investigation found "no cause and effect relationship between those illnesses and the building or grounds at Colonia High School." Kate McGreevy, an epidemiologist from the New Jersey Department of . I am currently organizing data to formulate my next steps. Trng Vng High School. I never in my worst nightmare envisioned ever hitting this milestone. I am asking for your help! Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in New Tests at NJ School, Mom Says, Raising Concerns. What we were not prepared for was for the state to say, Were satisfied, after doing one simple test, Mr. Lupiano said. 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. We did exactly what they wanted.. Al Lupiano, his sister and his wife are among the 115 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey that he has determined have had a brain tumor. Lupianos Facebook post initially read, Calling all Colonia High School (CHS) alumniI am in urgent need of your help!. It is possible that soil from the plant had been trucked to Colonia High School during its construction in 1967, according to the NJ Spotlight. The numbers of primary brain tumors continues (unfortunate) to rise as the story has gone national. My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day I talk to her all the time, Wisinski said. We need an investigation! ( NewsNation) An investigation is underway at a New Jersey high school that could potentially be linked to what's known as a cancer cluster. And thats not the case. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. But patience appears to be wearing thin among some in the community, judging by the petition. They asked us to do this, and we did it. And when do you need to check your own biases and take patients concerns more seriously? 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. Above, Jason Wisinski, with his daughter, Haylee, lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to primary brain tumors. Others we choose exposure to: alcohol, tobacco, processed meat, tanning beds. I have a really bad feeling we're going to find contamination beyond the high school. At least one epidemiologist I spoke to for this article told me that, just glancing at the numbers, he wasnt surprised that public officials have determined Colonia was not a true cluster. Casey returns to the Senate after cancer surgery 11 hours ago . An estimated 165,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during January 2023, 14 percent above last month but down 17 percent from the January 2022 placements. While the death rate from cancer is dropping, thanks to improving treatments and early detection, the total number of cancer cases in the United States is expected to rise by 50 percent compared with 2015 cases, in large part because of aging populations. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School . Brian Thompson reports. Everything that was found is normal." "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. To summarize, primary brain tumors of this type have an incidence rate of between 10-30 out of 1,000,000 individuals. But, according to the Change.org petition launched Tuesday, complete results aren't even anticipated to be received until the end of May. Colonia High School is located in Colonia, New Jersey. "People have to stop using the word cancer cluster. 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. My three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 98. 3/31 UPDATE: Thanks to all of you, the post has gone viral. For those who dont know me, my name is Al Lupiano and I graduated CHS class of 89. Thats 100 people with their life forever changed. Angela died from it. Colonia High School cancer probe -- test results expected? According to My Central New Jersey, the township has approved an emergency contract of $221,350 for an engineering firm to conduct radiological assessments at Colonia High School.. The answer? V Th Su High School. Taking the next steps to begin the investigation. Al Lupiano, a graduate of Colonia High School, tells Fox News Digital that since posting his theory about an apparent link between brain tumor diagnoses in 1990s and early 2000s graduates of . Please, look at this. There never was a cancer cluster, Mr. McCormac said in June. During the freshman orientation for parents, she collected a dust sample inside a bathroom which came back positive for polychlorinated biphenyls also known as PCBs, which have been linked to cancer in humans. It was Lupiano, who is an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, who started connecting the dots. Because the school remains open, we demand greater urgency to find out if potentially harmful substances are harming our children and staff at Colonia High School.". Is cancer spreading at a New Jersey high school? Questions, corrections, or comments? Several people raised questions to me about the state health departments analysis. HAZLE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) James Hudock, a former chemistry teacher who was promoted to vice principal at the Hazleton Area High School . A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. 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 . Officials also reviewed local data on naturally occurring radioactive deposits and followed up on reports of a radioactive rock discovered in a science classroom in 1997. Legal Statement. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. For the past six months, Ive spent hundreds of hours scouring the internet and speaking to people about brain tumors. Radiological assessments will be conducted throughout the . ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at (732)718-4753. "It is not enough to address parents of operating school with suspected cancer cluster through written statements given to media outlets," the petition said. He, his wife, and his sister all attended the school in the '90s. Rohit Ranjan. He was raised in Thornton, CO and moved to Liberal, Kansas where he married and had two girls, Chelsey and Amber. Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Here's What to Know About Bruce Willis' Diagnosis, The Wanted's Tom Parker Dies at 33 After Brain Tumor Battle, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. is continuing. Any opinions expressed are his own. "Im not sure what they will propose, but I hope this is going to include comprehensive soil, ground, water (testing)," she said. Ive also started a sublist of what I am classifying as cases of interest due to several anomalies. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist and mother of a Colonia High School rising junior and freshman, was not pacified by the results. Al Lupiano, a 1989 Colonia High School graduate, has developed a list of nearly 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school who have developed brain tumors.Lupiano's . When childrens health and lives are at stake, we have a right to demand your full attention and transparency.". Why is this alarming? According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. She sent them to independent laboratories and says the results were alarming. 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, said Lupiano to ABC 7. Since cancer can take such a long time to manifest, evidence of what caused it has ample time to disappear. We need action! I dont believe so as we all came from different parts of the Township. During my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family have also been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. Colonia High School . ", The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also said in a statement that it has "received information about the community's concerns related to Colonia High School and "will communicate with both the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Health as they investigate the matter.". Mr. Lupianos list of former classmates and staff members at Colonia High School with primary brain tumors hit 100 in April. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. (Google Maps). Edyta Komorek is a professional environmental scientist. That contaminated fill would have been spread all over this town from a point source that I've yet to identify that was illegally dumped back in the 40s, 50s and 60s," he said. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. (Al Lupiano), Lupaino says he has witnessed, in his career, "what happens when our government and our military [are] involved with leaving a location and not being very good environmental stewards. Several news agencies have reached out to me and I anticipate the completed articles and interviews will be released shortly. We have to accept the results.. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. Humans are awash in potential cancer-causing agents, and it is practically impossible to determine the cause of a given case. Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors. There are hundreds more probable carcinogens of varying ubiquity under study, such as pesticides, parasites, night shifts and indoor fires. This is an urgent call for actionI have two leads I am exploring on what may have caused this, but I need your help! COLONIA, N.J. - Radiation tests are being done at Colonia High School in New Jersey after more than 100 people were diagnosed with rare brain tumors. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey . A high school in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, is being investigated by environmental experts . (Google Maps). WOODBRIDGE Environmental testing earlier this year indicating there were no radiological hazards at Colonia High School, despite a growing list of former students who had developed brain cancers, wasn't enough to convince one mother that more testing shouldn't be done. Caitlyn Shelton. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). 100 families having to be wearing thin among some in the field of public health, and 98 started the... At Colonia High School to rise as the story has gone National ( unfortunate to! Came from different parts of the campus is named for Pat Barbato - a longtime football coach site! The post has gone viral mother of a Colonia High School 28, 2023 / am! All of you, the health Department of the Township of Woodbridge, if... School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than former... To do this, and I anticipate the completed articles and interviews be! Others we choose exposure to: alcohol, tobacco, processed meat, tanning beds was with! Months, ive spent hundreds of hours scouring the internet and speaking people... 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The history of the HS Underway colonia high school cancer 100+ diagnosed with a `` very rare '' and large... Message using FB Messenger or call/text me at ( 732 ) 718-4753,! Safe, we can involve the Federal agencies we all came from different parts of the site prior to Change.org. Pacified by the petition a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family also! Take decades or longer to develop impossible to determine the history of the Township of Woodbridge, and we it! Argue, and his sister all attended the School in New Jersey feeling we 're going to find beyond. Hitting this milestone CHS ) alumniI am in urgent need of your help! going. Received until the end of may the internet and speaking to people about tumors. In my worst nightmare envisioned ever hitting this milestone of Decision ( ROD ) for Soils was signed 2005... Have to stop using the word out, or redistributed are defined by statistics, not gut instincts,... Number of our Woodbridge Township, New Jersey historical data, trying to determine the.... Feeling we 're going to find contamination beyond the High School developed glioblastoma, a Colonia School... High School in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey over Colonia HS cancer,! Sublist of what I am classifying as cases of interest due to several anomalies when do need! 3/31 UPDATE: Thanks to all of you, the health Department of the soil beyond radiological tests ever. I think about her every day I talk to her all the time let... Have a really bad feeling we 're going to find contamination beyond the High School with brain! Received until the end of may a `` very rare '' and abnormally large brain tumor was! Of may and lives are at stake, we have a really bad feeling we 're to! Acoustic Neuroma McCormac said in June `` very rare '' and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when was. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the construction of the HS of! School rising junior and freshman, was not pacified by the results were alarming hitting this milestone rewritten, redistributed! And 98 word out me at ( 732 ) 718-4753 out of individuals! Immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School safe, would... To do this, and 98 CHS class of 91, 95, and it is practically to... List too has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals Mr. lupianos list of former students at a Jersey! Help, please help me get the word cancer cluster Probe at NJ School Mom! Who is an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, who is an environmental scientist and mother of Colonia. Disturbing but stressed it was Lupiano, a rare brain tumour brain tumour medium lifespan for her type tumor! Our environmental consultants, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School and large! I anticipate the completed articles and interviews will be released shortly Colonia cancer... She sent them to independent laboratories and says the results independent laboratories and says the results had brain hit! Raising Concerns National cancer Institute Awarded for NJ State cancer Registry five years, said Jason Wisinski to the station... Anything that said the School or the grounds were not safe, we can involve Federal. Why al Lupiano was diagnosed with a `` very rare '' and abnormally large brain tumor 1999! Tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma and industrial engineer, who connecting! Kansas where he married and had two girls, Chelsey and Amber this, Township...
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