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. 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. Komorek, Lupiano and several other parents criticized the assessment which did not include taking soil or water samples for not being thorough enough to put their minds at ease, despite assurances from state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. Federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. 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. He emphasized that there's no need for residents in the community to go get emergency cancer imaging scans immediately. Both had graduated from Colonia High School, the news outlet reported. "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. How did this incident come to light in the first place? Environmental scientists are investigating reports of increased instances of brain tumors at Colonia High School in New Jersey. 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. Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, Lupiano said. In a Facebook post, Lupiano said the battle over whats affecting hundreds of CHS alumni, teachers and staff is not over with the help of renowned doctors and scientists., He called the data presented at the press conference flawed.. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. A cluster of over 100 rare brain tumors in the past 30 years sparks a health inspection at Colonia High School in New Jersey. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "My wife fought like crazy. As a scientist, I want to find answers. On March 29, 2022, Lupiano wrote an article in a local newsletter, asking for help to identify people who developed the brain tumors, to collect data to plan further steps for answers to a probably cause. All Rights Reserved. Jason Wisinksi lost his wife Janice 10 years ago to an inoperable brain tumor called Anaplastic Astrocytoma. 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. 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. The testing actually started April 9, and testers have been seen walking around Colonia High School, taking air samples to test for radiation, said Woodbridge town spokesman John Hagerty. Lupiano started researching. Would they just end it at that?. Part Time, Per diem position. Lupiano, an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, believed it was a pattern. 100 former students, staff of Colonia High School in New Jersey say they have rare brain tumors. The cause hasn't been discovered yet, but some researchers suspect . 100 former NJ high school students . We have to really take a look at it," said Woodbridge Township Mayor John McCormac. ', * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts, AccuWeather: AM showers before a mild afternoon, Extra Time: Breaking down massive NYC, NYPD settlement, Teammate facing charges in crash that killed local UGA player. In April, the township entered an emergency agreement with T&M Associates, of Middletown, for professional environmental engineering services for a radiological assessment of Colonia High in an amount not to exceed $221,350. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Lupiano has found nearly 200 people with links to Colonia High School who have brain tumors or other rare cancers. Lupiano grew up in Woodbridge Township and he now works as an environmental scientist; he no longer lives in Woodbridge. He made a public plea on Facebook to anyone from the school who was diagnosed with primary brain tumors. 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. Lupiano has confirmed that he will not stop until he finds out what has happened here over the years at Colonia High School. Accordingly, no further testing or remediation is required or recommended at this time. No one knows exactly what it is. This is terrific news for current students of Colonia High School (CHS) and their parents who worried about their safety along with current staff members, Mayor John E. McCormac said. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. 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. Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and faculty were found to have been diagnosed with. An investigation into the possible link between Colonia High School and cancer found no radiological hazards that warranted further investigation. 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 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 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 approximately 1975-99. He was diagnosed 20 years ago. 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. Massimino sent the same statement to NJ Advance Media Monday. Lupiano also lost his younger sister to the disease in February at the age of 44, the outlet continued. All three were diagnosed with a brain tumor. 94 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey are part of a cancer cluster of still unknown origin. 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 . Lupiano's sister, Angela, died on February 17 from Glioblastoma Multiforme or GBM. Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist,. Youre 98.6, youre fine, go home. It's just that rare. 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). I will not rest until I have answers. Last year, Lupianos wife and sister also developed brain tumors, as first reported byCBS New York. I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15, he told CBS News York of the list, which now totals 115 people who had either malignant or benign tumors. All rights reserved (About Us). Lupianos wife was also diagnosed with a brain tumor, the NY Post reported. What treatments are available for the afflicted? Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media. She made it five years.". My best friend had a cancerous brain tumor. 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. National Cancer Institutes list of 27 common afflictions. The testers are specifically testing for radon levels in the air after 1989 Colonia High School grad Al Lupiano proposed this theory that he found an unusually high number of brain. Some of these are non-cancerous, yet very debilitating forms of brain tumor. Kamal added that there needs to be a full investigation to understand if these cancers are linked, and if there's a specific cause. He has contacted: Mayor McCormac confirmed these details yesterday to PEOPLE Magazine. This all came to fruition in August of last year, and it just startled Lupiano. Radiology, Allied Health, Radiologic Technologist, Neurophysiology. This is the preliminary step that they're taking to see if they can find anything. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. I will uncover the truth," Lupiano said to NJ.com. 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. Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, said Lupiano. Advocates, for months, implored state and local officials to undertake more testing. I know so many people who have ailments and cancer specifically who lived near there. 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. WOODBRIDGE, NJ Air quality testing is being done at Colonia High School this week, while the Woodbridge school district is closed for spring break. COLONIA, New Jersey (WABC) -- An investigation into the possible link between a Central New Jersey school and cases of brain cancer found no radiological hazards that warranted further investigation, the district superintendent said Thursday. 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. Brain cancer is relatively rare but very dangerous. Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily. Lupiano said he started searching for instances of Colonia High graduates having brain tumors and was stunned to discover 15 people in total, with two newly discovered cases pending further . But public health experts are cautioning against deeming the tumor cases a "cancer cluster" just yet. "The EPA and CDC are not testing at Colonia High School," said Hagerty. "In addition, DEP's further review does not indicate sources of environmental exposures of concern to public health. Robert Miller The investigation was jumpstarted after it was discovered more 122 people once connected to. The reports he got back were startling, and he saw patterns emerging. We will continue to keep you informed as we develop a plan of action based on the advice of our experts.. They were diagnosed on the same day last summer. They are also both graduates of Colonia High School. He said, What are the odds of this? It's exceeding one in a billion that three people this closely tied together would all have brain tumors. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. Please consider subscribing to NJ.com. They are testing the grounds outside and inside of the high school inside. When he started digging and looking for a link, the common link was Colonia High School. 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