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Lupiano and McCormac have spoken to officials with the state Department of Health and thefederalAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Al Lupiano graduated from the Middlesex County school in 1989. Lupiano also suggested a potential link between Colonia High School and a Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant in his interview with NJ Spotlight. She too died last month. 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. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? COLONIA, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two environmentalists are using a GPS to test for radiation on the grounds of Colonia High School. "It needs to be investigated, no questions asked," said Elizabeth A. Platz, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, . 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. His condition was rare, but he was successfully treated. "We thank Mayor McCormac [sic] and the local residents for raising these concerns and we ask for patience as we pursue the science to try to identify answers," the statement reads. McCormac, who lives three blocks from Colonia High School,is not yet convinced of a link. "Colonia is not a mega high school. After his sister passed away, Lupiano wrote a lengthy Facebook post as well as an article in a local newspaper in March, asking for people in the area for help in reporting cases of brain tumors. 'I will not rest until I . Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The analysis was conducted after dozens of former high school students and staff over decades were diagnosed with cancers. Jon Hurdle, a freelance writer who regularly reports on water and other environmental issues, is part of the NJ Spotlight COVID-19 reporting team. How will officials determine if a true cancer cluster exists? It is possible that soil from the plant had been trucked to Colonia High School during its construction in 1967, NJ Spotlight reported. 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. But just because there is an investigation does not necessarily mean there's a cancer cluster, Platz told Live Science. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". Until then, he knew of 15 former Colonia attendees who had been diagnosed with brain tumors. More than 100 people from the same high school have been diagnosed with brain cancer and it is feared soil contaminated with uranium used in the first atomic bomb made them ill. The gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. "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. Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare brain tumors on the same day. Lupiano's familiarity comes from his own experience. She died on Feb. 17, 2022, at 44 years old. The number of people is so small that we don't know how many cancers you'd expect , she said. "I will not rest until I have answers," the 50-year-old told NJ.com. (Google Maps). The mayorsays only the experts are qualifiedto make an actionable connection between the cases and CHS. I dont think this is the end of the story. In early March, Al Lupiano, 50, of Jamesburg, a 1989 Colonia High School graduate, posted on Facebook that his 44-year-old sister, Angela DeCillis, a 1995 Colonia High School graduate,died inFebruary from a rare,highly aggressive malignant glioma brain tumor on the left side of her brain, that had been diagnosed in August 2021. I still dont know what Im going to do with my kids, Komorek told NJ.com. The Department of Health will work with the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry and will conduct a public health assessment and evaluate the potential for health effects. Last year, his sister who also went to the school found out she had a primary brain tumor, which turned out to be stage 4 glioblastoma, he told CBS New York. '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. The City of Woodbridge has hired experts to conduct radiation tests inside school buildings and on school grounds, according to NJ Spotlight News. "With that in mind, and after many weeks of work, I was able to negotiate an agreement with BTF to provide this service completely FREE of charge.". A A. 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 . "The sooner we can get them to listen to us, the sooner we can do something.". What It Said, "Playing For Country": Gavaskar Blasts Gill For Calling Physio Mid-Over, Inside "World's Most Ultra-Luxury Resort", At $100,000 A Night, "I'm Not Their Target, You": Manish Sisodia's Resignation Letter, Video: Delhi Building's Dramatic Collapse After Fire, "Will Continue To Impose Sanctions On Russia": US Treasury Secretary, Chicago's 1st Openly Gay, Black Woman Mayor Loses Re-Election, Will Blow Up Mukesh Ambani, Amitabh Bachchan Bungalows, Caller To Cops, Think Tank CPR's Foreign Funding Licence Halted: "Will Explore Recourse", F1 Legend Jenson Button Breaks Guinness World Record. And it is also great news for all former students.". Colonia graduate Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist, was the first to sound the alarm about the potential cluster. Lupiano's sister, however, another Colonia alumnus, recently died from brain cancer -- and MyCentralJersey.com reports brother Al promised her before she died that he'd find out why the tumors were occurring in the specific community. Meanwhile, the TikTok video sparked panic and a range of conspiracy-theory style comments, with people claiming mold, toxic waste, asbestos and nearby cellphone towers could all be causing the cluster. Colonia Mayor John McCormac announced Thursday afternoon the results of the findings of the Environmental Assessment Study that was conducted to investigate if Colonia High School buildings and grounds. There's no proof yet that anything at CHS is the cause. But he made a promise to his late sister that he would find out. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. Immediately I knew exactly what I was looking at. According to American Association of Neurological Surgeons, glioblastoma is normally extremely rare with an incidence of 3.21 per 100,000 people. #braincancer #glioblastoma #braintumor #radiation #medicalmystery #doctor. COLONIA, N.J. -- There is a growing push to go back to remote learning at one New Jersey high school, but not because of COVID fears. The disturbing development became headline news this week after CBS News took it national. Both his wife and sister were assigned the same doctor for treatment. "To say he was concerned when he discovered all three of us grew up in the same neighborhood is an understatement. Print |. 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. In a memo to the school community, superintendent Joseph Massimino wrote, "Remote instruction is only available in the event of an active health crisis or emergency.". Over 100 former students and staff from a New Jersey high school have been diagnosed with brain tumors. On April 10, Mr. Lupiano's list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. For a better-informed future. 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. "We continue receiving lip service, that we're here to help, but when we look around, they are nowhere to be found.". For people who graduated recently, the chances of having cancer now is much lower than those in their 70s and 80s, he said. "I'm getting reports of whole blocks in and around the neighborhood, that they call themselves 'Cancer Alley,'" Lupiano said. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, I make $80k selling nudes to pay for cancer treatment men love bald look, Jimmy Carters niece says former president still has some time in him, Experts say youve been storing potatoes wrong this whole time and shut down cancer rumors, Joe Exotics doctors suspect he has bladder cancer but hes refusing treatment: report. Public health experts will look at the rate of brain cancer cases and investigate potential causes. One parent told the outlet she doesnt think the probe did enough testing because it didnt take water or soil samples. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. Donavyn Coffey is a Kentucky-based health and environment journalist reporting on healthcare, food systems and anything you can CRISPR. Parents like Dawn Genoni are willing to wait for that critical update. Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . The same day his sister was diagnosed, his wife, Michele, a 1991 Colonia High School graduate, was diagnosed with a large acoustic neuroma, a rare brain tumor which is life-threatening if left untreated. NY 10036. WOODBRIDGE A New Jersey man is on amission to find a link between rare braintumors inmore than 60 graduates and former staff at Colonia High School, including his wife and late sister. If we dont find anything, we have to start looking at other potential candidates, whether its chemicals or something in the soil or air. In less than six weeks, Lupiano says, he has gathered the names of 94 people connected with the school who have developed brain tumors. To his knowledge, there was nothing remotely dangerous at the site. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills at least 36, injures some 85, Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, FBI chief says agency feels pandemic likely started with Chinese lab leak, House select committee hearing paints China as a strategic antagonist, JetBlue flight forced to abort landing in close call at Logan Airport, Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Vanessa Bryant, family settles claims over Kobe crash site photos for $28.5M, Bald eagle couple lays new egg after losing eaglets two years in a row. At the time of the CBS interview in late March, Lupiano claimed to have confirmed 65 cases of rare brain tumors, all affecting people who either attended or worked at Colonia High School. Support our nonprofit newsroom. The analysis took several weeks. The viral TikTok video discussing the purported cancer cluster was posted Wednesday by popular personality Dr. Joe Whittington. Now, an investigation is underway to determine if the school Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey is linked with a cancer cluster. All these photos are from AP and Getty publications, meaning they were used in a magazine or newspaper. 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. If it's an ongoing issue, we may have to go through this all over again in 10 to 20 years. The school district's superintendent, Dr. Joseph Massimino, said in March that he was waiting to hear from the environmental agencies on next steps. We are looking at possible things that we can do between the town and school, and they said they will look at anything we come up with, McCormac said. "We can get in there today and take air, water and soil samples and have results back the same day," Lupiano said. 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. After seeing a social media post from Lupiano earlier this month, concerned residents reached out to Mayor John McCormac. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Researchers at Rice University are hoping to begin human clinical trials on a cancer treatment that fights the disease right at the site of the tumor. It is the type of brain tumor that Arizona Sen. John McCain died from in 2018. Here's the latest for Wednesday April 6th: More sanctions against Russia expected; Zelenskyy warns that Russian troops are regrouping; Second Sacramento suspect under arrest; Severe storms from Texas to South Carolina. NJ high school linked to mystery cancer cases. "Dozens of people have asked me to help them find a way to have a brain scan since they have been having signs and symptoms something may be wrong, but due to lack of insurance or not being able to afford the deductible, have not been able to have an MRI scan," Lupiano wrote in a Facebook post. "There could be a real problem here, and our residents deserve to know if there are any dangers," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac said in a statement carried by the New York Post. 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. 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