Colonia High School (Google Maps) Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and faculty. Support our nonprofit newsroom. McCormac said he was very concerned to learn of the possible link. Colonia High School Costello-Greiner Funeral Home - Woodbridge Sunday, January 1, 2023 Add Photos Add a Memory Sandra Wilson Sandra Wilson was born to Sarah Wilson and James Bradley on November. 'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases, Piscataway man convicted of exploiting daughters college peers after moving into dorm, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Both Lupiano, 50, and his wife Michele, 49, who is also a Colonia graduate, have acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor. An MRI revealed Michele had a 30-millimeter acoustic neuroma, another raretype of brain tumor that develops on the nerves leading to the inner ear. Rob Laumbach, a Rutgers University professor of public health. COLONIA, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two environmentalists are using a GPS to test for radiation on the grounds of Colonia High School. Brain cancer is rare, being detected in about one in 15,000 . For now, radiation levels in and around the school are being monitored in a two-week test that began on April 9 by a private contractor hired by the municipality. The authorities will be conducting radiological assessments across the school's 28-acre campus, including the testing of indoor air samples for radon. The four-year high school has more than 1,300 students. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. Immediate action from our State and Federal agencies is warranted," Lupiano said. Two weeks from now, if we dont hear anything from the federal agencies, theres going to be a lot of yelling and screaming, and the parents are going to run out of patience, he 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. "They're the only ones with the authority to do something," Lupiano told CBS2's Kevin Rincon. ", NEWS: Piscataway man convicted of exploiting daughters college peers after moving into dorm. More: 'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases. As a Rutgers University graduate with a major in environmental sciences and a minor inindustrial hygiene safety engineering, he's made a career of cleaning up unsafe sites. 'I will not rest until I . 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. Donavyn was a Fulbright Fellow to Denmark where she studiedmolecular nutrition and food policy. Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. In April, Woodbridge approved environmental testing at the school, but those results won't be made available until the end of June. He thinks the cases stem from contaminated soil, but there's no data to prove that at this point. 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 gathered the names of at least 110 grads with brain tumors, according to Fox News Digital. Lupiano launched the bid after his sister passed away from the disease and his wife too was diagnosed with the exact same form of aggressive tumour glioblastoma. The investigation was jumpstarted after it was discovered more 122 people once connected to the school had a primary brain tumor and another 75 were diagnosed with other rare forms of cancer, according to NJ.com. It is the type of brain tumor that Arizona Sen. John McCain died from in 2018. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address She too died last month. One former student at Colonia High School who developed a 'rare' brain tumor over 20 years ago and survived having cancer is looking to uncover the cause. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". Now, he's gone public with the suggestion that Colonia could be one such site. Janice's sister Chery Black also died from brain cancer in 2015. Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to . Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The announcement comes on the heels of the development that a New Jersey man who graduated from the high school that he believes is linked to a mysterious cluster of brain tumors dating back decades -- and to his own diagnosis -- says he's gotten a New York City-based foundation signed on to offer free brain scans to people in the community who may not otherwise have access. She worked for 16 years to help other rising nurses at Rutgers and RWJ Barnabas Health. "This approach of calculating the expected number was done to provide context to . WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, . The Township of Woodbridge, in cooperation with the Woodbridge Township School District, has taken the proactive initiative to contract with T&M and Cabrera Services, Inc., a nationally recognized radiological and environmental remediation company, to engage their team of environmentalists to begin collecting data at Colonia High School, the town said in a statement. The school was built back in 1967 on acres of empty land, with McCormac telling the news network he is stumped as to what could be causing the cancers. He, his wife and sister were among those who were diagnosed with brain tumors. Were all concerned, and we all want to get to the bottom of this. Just three of these clusters were linked to a possible exposure, and only one had a clear cause. "I don't know what the cause is," Lupiano said. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, I am being told Lupiano, who graduated from the school in 1989, himself was diagnosed 20 years ago and said he still suffers lingering issues, CBS New York reports. Michele M. Vercoski, a partner of McCune Law Group, is investigating the potential link between the rare brain tumor and many former Colonia High School students out of the MLG's office in Newark, New Jersey. In a joint statement to CBS News, the New Jersey Department of Health and the state's Department of Environmental Protection said the agencies "are aware of the concerns raised by local residents, particularly as they relate to Colonia High School, and are partnering with Mayor McCormac and Woodbridge Township to better understand the issue and determine whether any relevant environmental exposure concerns are present at the site.". Lupiano was diagnosed with a brain tumor back in the late 1990s, at the age of 27. 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. "We can get in there today and take air, water and soil samples and have results back the same day," Lupiano said. 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 . In the United States, the rate of new cases of brain cancer or other nervous system cancer is 6.3 cases per 100,000 people per year, according to the National Institutes of Health. The investigation will consider very granular data on graduates, like their occupations, family history and other activities that could affect their exposures. Since the initial post, Lupiano has published a list of 115 people who attended or worked at Colonia and were diagnosed with a primary brain tumor, according to news reports. ", Rick Rickman is the news assistant at New Jersey 101.5. Last year, his wife who also attended Colonia was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. 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. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey high school. If no link is found with the high school specifically, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, said other potential points of connection in the township will be explored, according to NBC Today. Because I dont think its right to say theres no threat to teachers and students if you didnt take a single soil or groundwater sample.. Pennsylvania police seized gloves, flashlight from home of Idaho murders suspect, CDC warns drug-resistant stomach bug a "serious public health threat". Victim No. The environmental engineering firm T+M Associates was. Twentyyears earlier, he was also diagnosed with an aggressive 36-millimeter acoustic neuroma. He died 15 years ago from brain cancer. Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist, began investigating Colonia High School in Woodbridge when he realized several people who attended the school had rare tumors just like he had. Lupiano and McCormac have spoken to officials with the state Department of Health and thefederalAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. He's looking for a place to host the screenings in early June and says he's had trouble working with local officials to find one. In 1999, at age 27, he was diagnosed with a large, benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma. WOODBRIDGE The township has approved an emergency contract of $221,350 for an engineering firm to conduct radiological assessments at Colonia High School, following a 1989 graduate's research indicating a possible link between the school and brain tumor cases among former students and staff. And I know that wears on my brother-in-law, it wears on my parents. The number of reported victims has been growing since Al Lupiano, a former student in the 1980s and a cancer victim himself, appealed for names in a Facebook post on March 7. It's the largest oil spill cleanup company in the United States. McCormack said the town wants local and federal involvement in the investigation. "Their neurologist, who has been recognized as a global leader in neurosurgery by the World Federation of Neurological Societies, has treated and been involved with tens of thousands of brain tumors in his career. I've tried to give back over the last 20 years.". #braincancer #glioblastoma #braintumor #radiation #medicalmystery #doctor. "While we have not yet determined if any contaminant is present, the only link up to this point is that everyone spent a significant amount of time at the school," Lupiano wrote in his Facebook post. "I'm not particularly concerned because it hasn't happened in quite some time. For anothertwo decades, he held similar jobs withbig companies including Lockheed Martin. There is one well documented cause of brain tumors radiation exposure," he continued. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. The mayorsays only the experts are qualifiedto make an actionable connection between the cases and CHS. Al Lupiano graduated from the Middlesex County school in 1989. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. Lupiano's quest for information took him to Facebook last month, and that list of people who went to or worked at Colonia High School - and have a primary brain tumor - is now closing in on 100 cases. Fortunately one of the survivors is an environmental scientist Al Lupiano, who is bringing attention to this and he is . The discovery of the possible link between the school and the brain tumors is so new that it hasn't yet been verified by any agency, and the testing being done there is just part of the effort to figure out the true extent of the problem. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. Advertisement. Its not something done to us due to bad habits.. It can seem connected, when in reality, cancer is quite common and people are simply noticing this fact. In 1999, when he was just 27, Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). "The rates are actually consistent in New Jersey with the United States," McGreevy said. Updated on: April 26, 2022 / 8:21 AM It is his belief my wife and I may be the first documented case of spouses having an AN, both roughly the same size and on the same side of the headaccording to him, the odds are maybe 1 in a BILLION," Lupiano said. But Lupiano was not initially sure that the high school was a link to the similar yet rare brain tumor cases until he made a request on Facebook for others who attended Colonia to reach out to him personally. The plant then "decontaminated to the standards in effect at the time," though "overlooked during decontamination were traces of radioactive materials that had been carried offsite over the years by wind and rain to yards of neighboring homes," the USACE New York Division said on its website. His wife. They were very appreciative that we reached out to them but they were not interested in getting involved, and they kept trying to pass it off, and saying they will have to do research and get back to you, he said, referring to the New Jersey agency. Rather than looking at all central nervous system cancers over 30 years, investigators will likely look at rates of specific types of brain tumors and how long after high school these tumors developed, she said. His illness was diagnosed in 1999; hers in 2001. 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 your municipality in this alphabetical list to see how its average property tax bill for 2021 compares to others. More than 100 former Colonia High School students and staff have been diagnosed with brain cancer over a 30-year period. According to the National Cancer Institute, "cases of cancer can appear to cluster even when there is no connection among them." .. Advertisement .. Over 100 Former Students, Staff Of New Jersey School Get Rare Cancer, Probe Launched, S Jaishankar's "Firm" Reply To UK Minister Who Raised BBC Tax Row: Sources, Nithyananda's 'Republic Of Kailasa' At UN Meet. 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. One parent told the outlet she doesnt think the probe did enough testing because it didnt take water or soil samples. "They'll have the means to do air sampling, water sampling and soil sampling," Lupiano told New Jersey 101.5. I will uncover the truth.. Despite the number of possible cases, officials say they must first determine if there is any scientific evidentiary connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. Im doing this not only for my wife, my sister my nieces are currently in the school but this deserves further understanding. While the family had hoped to move forward following the operation, tests . during the press conference posted on the townships Youtube page. Views expressed by our advertisers and sponsors are their own, and are not endorsed by NJ Spotlight News. But the growing number of victims both alive and dead on the list dont constitute the evidence that public health experts need to determine that Colonia is a cancer cluster, said Dr. For a better-informed future. More than 100 people who graduated from Colonia High School have developed brain cancer. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "I have full faith they will get to the bottom of this and they will figure out what is going on," she previously told News 4. Reports claim that more than 60 former students and staff of Colonia High School have been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called . After seeing a social media post from Lupiano earlier this month, concerned residents reached out to Mayor John McCormac. The number of people is so small that we don't know how many cancers you'd expect , she said. Because cancer clusters are often suspected in very small subpopulations like neighborhoods, apartment buildings or homes on the same side of the street they can be very difficult to establish, Platz said. Whittington a board-certified MD in California claimed several of the brain tumours developed by ex-Colonia High staff and students are glioblastoma multiforme an aggressive cancer which spreads to brain tissue. Lupianowould liketheir investigators to come in over spring break so that students are not disturbed. According to American Association of Neurological Surgeons, glioblastoma is normally extremely rare with an incidence of 3.21 per 100,000 people. 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. Until then, he knew of 15 former Colonia attendees who had been diagnosed with brain tumors. In other words, they will need to prove by statistical analysis that more Colonia staff and graduates developed brain cancer than people with their same characteristics (age, sex, location) over the same time. McCormac and Lupiano are waiting to hear back from the EPA. Lupiano is wondering whether some of that soil ended up on the school grounds. His wife was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, and his sister was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Glioblastoma is an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. Shehad been dealing with hearing loss for several years. 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