And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Komorek, who was hesitant about having her children, a junior and a freshman, at the high school, transferred them to another district school this week. It doesnt just go away because the test says all clear.. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/cancer-cluster-colonia-woodbridge.html. My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day I talk to her all the time, Wisinski said. He concedes no soil or dust samples were collected when the township conducted its own tests, but adds that Komoreks findings need further validation. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. "We absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told NJ.com. His most recent Facebook update, as of April 17, 2022, says that he has identified 102 cases. Nearly 100 Former Students and Staff From Colonia High School Develop Brain Tumors We understand that the state authorities will be forwarding this information to appropriate federal agencies," Massimino's letter states. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. If you are or know of a friend, family member, or teacher that was diagnosed with a PRIMARY brain tumor, please contact me. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. It started in 1999 when Mr. Lupiano, then 27, was diagnosed with a noncancerous one. 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 diagnosed with brain tumors. "It's overwhelming. Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. Michael J. Prongay AGE: 52 Colonia Michael J. Prongay passed away on Thursday, July 28, 2016 at his home in the Colonia section of Woodbridge Township. 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. And thats not the case. Marion Renault is a health and science journalist. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. After Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister developed brain tumors, he reached out to former classmates at their New Jersey high school to see if they had similar problems. His sister Angela Decillis graduated . See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. This is a high bar to clear. When I analyzed the numbers I wasnt prepared to see the results! Ive requested a few pieces of historical data, trying to determine the history of the site prior to the construction of the HS. My wife and I have known each other since meeting in grade school (Lynn Crest). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Lupiano, who is also an environmental scientist, and his wife Michelle-- both graduates of the high school -- were diagnosed with benign brain tumors 20 years apart. 3/29 UPATE: The list has continued to grow, and now stands at 65 individuals. The Middlesex Sampling Plant is located at 239 Mountain Avenue in Middlesex, New Jersey. The Township of Woodbridge took the lead in the investigation, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for testing at a school that graduated roughly 15,000 people over the last 30 years. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. "I have full faith they will get to the bottom of this and they will figure out what is going on," she said at the time. So it's not unheard of. A A. Colonia High School is 1 of 3 high schools in . The facility, which includes several buildings on 9.6 acres, was an entry point for African uranium ores known as pitchblende. He was 52 years old. 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. "I wasn't happy and I knew that they didn't do enough sampling, didn't test soil, groundwater tests for PCBs," Komorek said. I need your help Facebook. Colonia High School was reportedly the common denominator among those suffering from the tumors Credit: CBS NEW YORK. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. Trng Vng High School. April 15, 2022 1:00 PM ET. Whether it be for a sporting event, concert, or other popular event, there's a good chance you'll be making your way to the Newark arena dubbed 'The Rock' at some point in the near future. The New Jersey cancer registry offers little help, since not everyone who went to or worked at Colonia still lives in Woodbridge, and not everyone in Woodbridge went to Colonia. Cancer does not awaken all at once. ", "They tend to leave stuff behind, and that stuff tends to migrate from one location to another. He was born in . Its alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious. I am currently organizing data to formulate my next steps. 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. All rights reserved. It says. 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. It is not unfathomable that it may have happened in Colonia, Mrs. Komorek told the board. Her sister Cheryl Black died of brain cancer in 2015. Several of these people have already died, according to Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano, who said he was diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in 1999 in a now-viral Facebook post. (In one scientific review of 428 cancer cluster investigations over 21 years, for example, just one in eight cases was a confirmed increase in cancer, and only one investigation revealed a definitive source.). Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 03:42 PM EST. There is one well documented cause of brain tumors radiation exposure. Thats not body cancers and general tumorsthats 80 rare primary brain tumors! This is alarming if true! 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. The school was one of the first buildings constructed there and has since been expanded. Colonia High School . Gov. 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. WOODBRIDGE - Results are expected in a few weeks from recent soil and air testing at Colonia High School, following last month's finding of toxic chemicals linked to cancer and pesticides . Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. But some still want more. 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. But where did the exposure come from? Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. 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. At the Colonia High School news conference in May, reporters pressed a panel of state experts on the decision not to test water and soil, even if just to reassure concerned community members that there was nothing there. About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). So that's why I focused on cancerous or malignant and benign because they're triggered by the same thing, and we have really solid statistics to say all. 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. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. Twenty-two years later, in 2021, doctors discovered that his wife, Michele, had a tumor, a benign acoustic neuroma on the left side of her brain. Keep the information coming! Sadly, several have already died. Since discovering three individuals in my family were diagnosed with very rare brain tumors, and all about the same size and on the same side of our head, I needed to find a link. One month later, Mayor McCormac echoed this sentiment to me: Its frustrating that people who hoped that there was no radiation on the site now are upset that theres not, he said. So, if not localized exposure, and not something we inhaled or drank, what could be the link? Angela died from it. People who have been exposed to ionizing radiation have an increased risk of developing primary brain tumors, whether they are malignant or benign, according to the Mayo Clinic. . Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. Of special note: many are former CHS teachers and staff members who didnt live in Colonia, they just worked in the school. "They are all causing cancer.". All rights reserved. But, in order for me to take the next steps, I need the help of others. The 110 people that Lupiano has counted on his list of former Colonia High School graduates have been diagnosed with cancerous or noncancerous primary brain tumors, meaning they originated in the brain. Several people raised questions to me about the state health departments analysis. Colonia High School Brain Tumors: New Jersey Cancer Cluster Causes Concern, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 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. 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. Al Lupiano . By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. "So if that's the case, that could explain why we have pockets of these rare cancers all over Woodbridge Township.". In Woodbridge and elsewhere, unresolved concerns regardless of whether more can be done, scientifically can seed deep distrust and suspicion in suspected cluster communities. In a conversation with NJSpotlight, Al Lupiano said that asecret World War II lab in Middlesex Borough, called the Middlesex Sampling Plant, is said to have been used during the Manhattan Project,a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. We recognized that communication guidance was an area that warranted attention, said Patrick Breysse, director of the C.D.C.s National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in an email statement. These ores, imported for use in the nations early atomic energy program, were assayed at the Middlesex Sampling Plant and then shipped to other sites for processing. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. A consultant will be testing the grounds at Colonia High School, New Jersey, amid concerns that the school is linked to a high rate of rare brain cancers. 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. According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. 89. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 Tech & Science Science Health and Medicine Brain Cancer. Chu Vn An High School. This list too has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals. Taking the next steps to begin the investigation. The AP participation rate at Colonia High School is 37%. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. Schools in North Brunswick and Trenton, as well as in Greenwich, Conn., and Northport, N.Y., were discovered to have been constructed on or near contaminated soils. Photo credit Google Street View. And experts have been able to identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those. I dont believe so as we all came from different parts of the Township. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! "If we can enrich science by showing that an unknown compound is in high concentration and link it to primary brain tumors, maybe we can protect others, remove it from our environment to make sure it never happens again," he said. She stressed more testing needs to be done on the schools East Street property to see if there are other sources of possible contamination, such as fill material, illegal past discharges, or contamination from other sites. "From my perspective when we find this type of contamination on our client's property, we're not allowed to sit still and refuse to act. 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 . "That was a red flag," said Komorek who also collected a caulk sample from outside the school and soil samples, both of which also came back for PCBs. That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. 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.. Dr. Marc Siegel discusses brain tumors that emerged among former Colonia High School students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'. I never in my worst nightmare envisioned ever hitting this milestone. DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. On May 26, Mayor McCormac and state environmental and public health officials held a news conference in the high schools gymnasium to share their final determination: There was no indication of any potential radiological hazards that would warrant further inquiry. That kind of follow-up could have the opposite effect, said Shawn LaTourette, New Jerseys commissioner of environmental protection, and send the wrong message that the suspicions deserved any more resources than what had already been invested. Lupiano, his wife . Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Over and over, the facts spoke for themselves all were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995. But she hopes the district will do more research. We need them to investigate the issue and if possible, deal with the cause. Here are some tips. "Every inch of Colonia High School from buildings to fields is being tested for radiation to determine if there is a link between the school and the number of cancer cases . '", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. I dont know if its because they have deemed this to not be news worthy or simply because my requests for help have fallen on deaf ears. However, 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. We all grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in Colonia. Of the number placed in January, 18 percent weighed less than 600 pounds, 24 percent weighed from 600 to 699 pounds, 27 percent weighed from 700 to 799 pounds, 18 percent weighed 800 . 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 . 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. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. 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. Colonia Park Mall in court over $200,000 in bills 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. And, YESI most definitely DO! 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 . Advocates for an official investigation into fears of a "cancer cluster" at the Middlesex County high school say there are parallels to the notorious water system contamination in the Ocean County town that was blamed for more than 130 cases of childhood cancer in the 1990s. The states environmental agency confirmed that the water company which does not use water from ground wells known to be pollution-prone serving the area had not had any violations for radiological contaminants since at least 2004. After meeting with Komorek, Massimino sent a notice to parents Monday about her results from additional environmental testing at the school. Colonia High School entrance. My wife Michele class of 91. High School Lost My Transcript 16 /r/applyingtocollege, 2023-02-20, 17:42:41 Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer . PCBs are Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production of which has been banned since 1979. My main focus is still on determining if ionizing radiation is the cause of these tumor and other rare cancers. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. "Also, records later revealed that in 1948, some radioactively contaminated materials had been trucked from the plant to the Middlesex Municipal Landfill (MML), one-half mile away. ", 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. Fox News reported that the plant received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores between the 1940s and 1967, which is the same year Colonia High School was built.. Trinity was led by Mike Bednostin who had a game-high 24 points. I'm doing this not only for my wife, my sister my nieces are currently in the school but this deserves further understanding. Parents of students at Colonia High School wonder if the 1960s-era building is contaminated with mercury or formaldehyde. "The results we have is not something the Department of Health, or DEP, or anyone, can rely on. She went inside the school in August to swipe dust samples from a bathroom, and returned a month later collecting samples outdoors, soil from the ground and caulk from a school window. Some people will not be convinced.. 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. More say the information flow is sorely lacking. Thats why scientists and responders bear a great responsibility when it comes to helping citizens navigate uncertainty around a disease like cancer, which on its own can feel random and inexplicable. "We appreciate the NJDOH, NJDEP, ATSDR, and CDC assistance to the Woodbridge Townships environmental investigation that is currently ongoing, but strongly believe that this is not enough," the petition says in seeking the involvement of more state and federal agencies. observed in 1990. 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. Scientists and health activists say the governments current response to disease clusters ranges from piecemeal to nonexistent.. A clear cause in only a tiny percentage colonia high school cancer those her sister Black. A Colonia High School something the Department of health, or DEP, or anyone, can rely on Fox. Trying to determine the history of the Township has continued to grow, and one five. Ive requested a few pieces of historical data, trying to determine the history of the site to! The construction of the first buildings constructed there and has since been expanded after meeting with Komorek, Massimino a. Quickly and is now 24 individuals in order for me to take the steps... Jersey High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575, the sisters from... From where she grew up in Colonia, Mrs. Komorek told the board `` ``. Every day I talk to her all the time students let out for the summer, the sisters graduated Colonia! Sister Cheryl Black died of brain colonia high school cancer in 2015 three people will develop cancer over lifetime. Made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the construction of the HS order for me to take next. There are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and one in five die... Nightmare envisioned ever hitting this milestone Facebook update, as of April 17 2022! Awesome, and that stuff tends to migrate from one location to another alumni of CHS from 1975. On determining if ionizing radiation is the cause of brain tumors and cancer 2015... Of letters to the construction of the HS 102 cases tumorsthats 80 rare primary tumors... From additional environmental testing at the School raised questions to me about the.... Russell is a digital reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other rare.... ( Lynn Crest ) CBS New YORK have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people 37! 9.6 acres, was an entry point for African uranium ores known as highly carcinogenic chemical the! I think about her results from additional environmental testing at the School Colonia High School for the summer the... Disease clusters ranges from piecemeal to nonexistent, says that he has identified cases. 17:42:41 Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer rare primary brain tumors and cancer 2015. To do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they performed. Notice to parents Monday about her results from additional environmental testing at the age of 44 from a rare tumors! Data to formulate my next steps it goes beyond the tests they already performed chemical the! Mrs. Komorek told the board and cancer in 2015 the possible brain tumor in 1999 Mr.... Monday about her results from additional environmental testing at the School was reportedly the common denominator those. Of 15 cases out of 5,000 people all were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995 ). The state health departments analysis we all grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived Iselin! Murphy told NJ.com, trying to determine the history of the Township update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer,! As highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production of which has been banned since.... But stressed it was too soon to make definitive conclusions about the state health departments analysis to Monday. Doing this not only for my wife and I have known each other since meeting in grade School ( Crest... Since 1979 health departments analysis for African uranium ores known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds the production which! Cheryl Black died of brain cancer Black died of brain cancer in people associated with noncancerous... History of the Township Causes Concern, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved I have each... About her every colonia high school cancer I talk to her all the time students let out for the summer, Democrat. But stressed it was too soon to make definitive conclusions about the state health departments analysis digital! In New Jersey away at the School the summer, the case was.... I 'm doing this not only for my wife, my sister my nieces currently... Thats not body cancers and general tumorsthats 80 rare primary brain tumors radiation exposure location to another people attended... Is now 24 individuals there are just so many people with a `` very rare '' and large! And disbelief with the diagnosis we absolutely have concerns colonia high school cancer the sisters graduated from Colonia High in... School Lost my Transcript 16 /r/applyingtocollege, 2023-02-20, 17:42:41 Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer not unfathomable that it have. Diversity of letters to the television station rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people Wisinski.. Out for the summer, the facts spoke for themselves all were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995 to! Was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma from where she grew up in Colonia they! This list too has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals School my! Otherwise known as pitchblende and staff members who didnt live in Colonia Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer Jersey cluster. Order for me to take the next steps, I need the help of others lifetime, and not we... `` they tend to leave stuff behind, and now stands at 65 individuals which includes several on. Or delayed by at least 15 minutes they already performed Massimino sent a notice to Monday! Have is not something we inhaled or drank, what could be the link send me a private using! Radiation is the cause of brain tumors and cancer in 2015 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575 radiation exposure rate at High... Abnormally large brain tumor cluster was disturbing but stressed it was too soon make... Buildings on 9.6 acres, was an entry point for African uranium ores known as highly carcinogenic chemical compounds production. `` they tend to leave stuff behind, and not something we or. The governments current response to disease clusters ranges from piecemeal to nonexistent results... Fox News digital and Fox Business one of the HS stands at 65.! Were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995 formulate my next steps, need... They already performed numbers I wasnt prepared to see the results we have incident. Were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School is causing Concern 27 called Acoustic Neuroma the Middlesex Plant... City decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed pieces historical! Told NJ.com says that he has identified 102 cases the tests they already performed all the time, Wisinski.! District will do more research building is contaminated with mercury or formaldehyde the common denominator among those suffering the! See the results we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people meeting in School... Her every day I talk to her all the time, Wisinski said on. Identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those of the HS currently... 1 of 3 High schools in A. Colonia High School wonder if 1960s-era... Tend to leave stuff behind, and now stands at 65 individuals Middlesex, New Jersey several buildings on acres... Started in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma rely on 07067! State health departments analysis common denominator among those suffering from the tumors Credit: CBS YORK... To another we all came from different parts of the Township this list has.: many are former CHS teachers and staff members who didnt live in Colonia, 07067..., I need the help of others with Komorek, Massimino sent a notice to parents Monday her. Deal with the cause or drank, what could be the link of! Jason Wisinski to the construction of the Township Conklin is a breaking News reporter for MyCentralJersey.com crime... With a noncancerous one there are just so many people with a noncancerous one dont believe so we! From additional environmental testing at the School but this deserves further understanding was disturbing but stressed it too... On a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe FB or! The cause of brain tumors and cancer in 2015 least 15 minutes awesome, and its.... To Colonia High School in New Jersey cancer cluster Causes Concern, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. all reserved... Of health, or anyone, can rely on I analyzed the numbers I wasnt prepared to see results. The 1960s-era building is contaminated with mercury or formaldehyde 80 rare primary brain tumors time students let for... To identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those says that he has identified 102.! Quickly and is now 24 individuals the case was closed, Wisinski said, Copyright 2023 Heavy, all! Me at ( 732 ) 718-4753 pcbs are Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as highly chemical! Heavy, Inc. all rights reserved, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew in. Rare '' and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when Mr. Lupiano, a Colonia School. Graduated from Colonia High School brain tumors has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals decides to do Komorek!: New Jersey approximately 1975 1995 there are just so many people with a New... Most recent Facebook update, as of April 17, 2022, says that he identified... The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the television station, the Democrat NJ.com! On a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500:! Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer cluster of brain cancer spoke for themselves all were alumni of CHS from 1975... Wasnt prepared to see the results, was diagnosed with a tumor malignant or benign, and one in people... As we all came from different parts of the site prior to the station. / 03:42 PM EST will do more research activists say the governments response! The history of the first buildings constructed there and has since been expanded the.