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. 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. They asked us to do this, and we did it. Also in the 1980s, the contaminated materials disposed of at the MML were excavated, brought back to the site and stored in a specially constructed pile, known as the MML pile. Local and federal environmental agencies say they are assisting the town of Woodbridge, New Jersey, in its investigation into more than 100 graduates of the same high school that have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors. All rights reserved. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. I never in my worst nightmare envisioned ever hitting this milestone. In its first update to the guidelines since 2013 (which are expected to be finalized this year) the agency acknowledges that barriers to discovering and declaring true clusters remain. 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. They may seek answers where there are not any or where they are impossible to dredge out. "To me their health is the most important thing.". 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. Above, Jason Wisinski, with his daughter, Haylee, lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to primary brain tumors. 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. 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. Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. Angela M. DeCillis, a Colonia High School graduate, Class of '95. On April 15, 2022, Lupiano wrote on Facebook. 1:07. Among other things, the law calls for periodic updates to federal cluster investigation guidelines work that the C.D.C., compelled by the legislation, began in 2018. This helps explain why cluster investigations so often fail to arrive at a satisfying conclusion. WASHINGTON (AP) Federal officials sued a Louisiana chemical maker on Tuesday, alleging that it presented an unacceptable cancer risk to the nearby . But Mr. Lupiano said he ultimately hopes one way or another to be assured that all is as it should be. Youre looking for footprints in the sand long after the tide has come and gone, said Dr. Clapp. His . In 1998 the Corps of Engineers recycled and disposed of the stockpiled steel. "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. This list too has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals. "If we saw anything that said the school or the grounds were not safe, we would do something instantly. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. As previously stated, there is basically one medically proven cause of rare brain tumors like ours radiation. Dr. Marc Siegel discusses brain tumors that emerged among former Colonia High School students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'. And once againI couldnt do this without your help!! 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. 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 . 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. What happened in Woodbridge illustrates the need for these changes, especially those aimed at bolstering the relationship between a concerned community and the public health experts facing the difficult task of investigating a suspected cluster. 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. Despite the number of cases, officials first have to determine if scientific evidence indeed indicates a connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. Superintendent of Schools Joseph Massimino announced the findings Thursday in a letter to township families, following allegations . "Most of them during the years of 1972 to 2000," said Matthew Stanmyre with NJ Advance Media, who broke the . Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School . Tech & Science Science Health and Medicine Brain Cancer. My three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 98. New Jersey dad fights to have daughter returned to the U.S. NJ state budget delivers another crushing blow to residents (Opinion), Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and EEO Report. Assuming we follow the same statistical analysis as stated previously, over a 20-year period from 1975 1995, I estimate approximately 5,000 individuals have passed thru the hallowed halls of CHS. I am currently organizing data to formulate my next steps. All the testing, both by Komorek and the district, came after 108 people from over a period of three decades ending in the early 2000s who attended the school were diagnosed with brain tumors. "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. Since cancer can take such a long time to manifest, evidence of what caused it has ample time to disappear. Federal investigations take place: An investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency is being done to determine whether these 100-plus cases are a cancer cluster, or simply a coincidence, Fox News reported. "The results we have is not something the Department of Health, or DEP, or anyone, can rely on. Lupiano's sister, also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. Humans are awash in potential cancer-causing agents, and it is practically impossible to determine the cause of a given case. And, YESI most definitely DO! People struggle to recall their past daily lives which seat they sat in during high school chemistry or where their drinking water came from five years ago. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey . Its very hard to pinpoint what it is that initiated that process.. Questions, corrections, or comments? So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link? 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. "Once again we will work with the school district through our health department and our environmental consultants and make contact with the state Departments of Environmental Protection and Health to help evaluate what we were presented with and decide on a future course of action," said Mayor John E. McCormac. Send Joe Votruba an email. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS. This is an urgent call for actionI have two leads I am exploring on what may have caused this, but I need your help! The New Jersey Departments of Health (DOH) and Environmental Protection (DEP) say they are involved in an investigation into the apparent cancer cluster, though Lupiano says he has not received requests for information from either agency. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and facultywere found to have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors. "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. DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. 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 who have apparently developed brain tumors, including his sister who died with a malignant brain tumor in February. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. Nearly 100 Former Students and Staff From Colonia High School Develop Brain Tumors In 1999, the Corps prepared an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to address the Vicinity Property (VP) pile remaining at the site. During my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family have also been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. They weren't taken by a licensed remediation specialist, so I assume our consultants are going to come up with a plan to do some testing, but it will be official by state and federal testing," the mayor said. Im working on a big piece for Vice News which will air on their network in a week or two, and the Star Ledger is running a multipage story which should drop this Sunday. Tonight I will be sitting down with The Garden State Podcast, which airs on various podcast services and Tik Tok. EPA looking into cancer cluster tied to NJ high school. 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. Colonia Park Mall in court over $200,000 in bills Email tips toaudrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants. Komorek said the school should be thoroughly tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials and soil. 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 answer? Image: Unsplash. Trng Vng High School. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. Our children and Colonia High School staff deserve more involvement of the State and Federal agencies. All of them graduated from Colonia High School, and they all have brain tumors, ABC7 reported. They have to stop its not that, not going to be that. On April 10, Mr. Lupiano's list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. Was it the street or neighborhood where we grew up linking us? 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. Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals. 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 . Is cancer spreading at a New Jersey high school? So, if not localized exposure, and not something we inhaled or drank, what could be the link? If you are willing, please record a short video on your phone of yourself talking about your issue. Keep it to 30 seconds or less. In the meantime, Komorek has taken her own two daughters out of Colonia High School, but the mayor cautions against calling it a cancer cluster. "Nothing in the newly reported information has any bearing on the prior studies which determined last spring that no radiation was found inside or outside of Colonia High School," Massimino said in his letter, adding parents would be kept informed of a plan of action based on the advice of experts. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. 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. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. When faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope with an unbearable reality. By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. The numbers of primary brain tumors continues (unfortunate) to rise as the story has gone national. I want someone else to go to.". Frequently, in hazmat, you never find it in the first shot," Lupiano said. An alum of Colonia High School in Woodbridge is raising the alarm over a possible cancer cluster among the school's graduates. The study doesnt close anything. As part of the demonstration, the teacher used theinstrument to test a collection of rocks stored in the closet of the science class when one of the rocks registered a reading of radioactivity. Schools Radiation Testing Underway At NJ School With Possible Cancer Link They are now doing radon air testing after a 1989 Colonia grad said he found a high number of brain cancers linked to the . In addition the Corps disposed of 33,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the (MML) pile. The updates also move to de-emphasize statistical significance as the main criterion for investigating suspected cancer clusters in order to make more room for other criteria, such as mortality and electronic health record data, neighborhood patterns of cancer and even community-created lists of individuals with cancer diagnoses. Theres something special about cancer, said Richard Clapp, a cancer epidemiologist and a professor emeritus at Boston University. $9 Million Contract from National Cancer Institute Awarded for NJ State Cancer Registry. After 2nd grade, my wife attended parochial school until high school, where she attended CHS. Is the exposure ongoing? 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. Find Us . What we were not prepared for was for the state to say, Were satisfied, after doing one simple test, Mr. Lupiano said. My sister and siblings attended Lynn Crest, Colonia Middle, and Colonia High School. Even before Mr. Lupianos list had reached 100 people, it had drawn the attention of local and national news media and had catalyzed public officials to act. The total minority enrollment is 53%, and 34% of students are economically disadvantaged. The incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of 1,000,000 people. The onset of brain tumors in more than one hundred people who attended or worked at Colonia High School in New Jersey has continued to baffle experts. "Seven weeks we've been waiting for them to take a drive from Edison [New Jersey] to Colonia, New Jersey. We need an investigation! His most recent Facebook update, as of April 17, 2022, says that he has identified 102 cases. But, according to the Change.org petition launched Tuesday, complete results aren't even anticipated to be received until the end of May. (Google Maps). According to ABC7, one of the victims was a woman named Janice Wisinski, who died 10 years ago from an inoperable brain tumor while pregnant. The sizes of neighborhood clusters are often too small to yield statistically significant results. But many in the community do not accept them. According to the Associated Press, a simple classroomdemonstrationof a Geiger counter resulted in panic when the radiation detectorshowed troubling results when a loud clamor was heard over a rock. More than 200 people have signed an online petition demanding a public meeting with state officials in New Jersey and federal authorities over concerns about a medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. 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. Wish me luck! To say he was concerned when he discovered all three of us grew up in the same neighborhood is an understatement. WOODBRIDGE - An extensive field investigation that included assessing Colonia High School classrooms, building materials and the 28-acre East Street campus found no radiological hazards that warrant further investigation, an environmental assessment determined. A New Jersey town is planning to conduct environmental testing at Colonia High School after a resident discovered dozens of people connected to the school had developed rare brain tumors. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Others told NJ.com they want a remote learning option until the investigation is complete. 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. If you would like to help, please contact the news and media agencies as well as your local, County, and State officials and get them involved. But where did the exposure come from? For public health officials, resolving this tension is the macro version of bedside manner: How do you reassure a frightened patient that nothings wrong? Here are some tips. All rights reserved. The site received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores from the 1940s until 1967, at which time the facility was decontaminated to the standards in effect at the time. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". 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. Sadly, several have already died. Hng Vng High School. Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. Marion Renault is a health and science journalist. This is a high bar to clear. "It is not enough to address parents of operating school with suspected cancer cluster through written statements given to media outlets," the petition said. 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. 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. 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 sister, a Colonia High School grad, died with a malignant brain tumor in February and both he and his wife, who also is a Colonia High School grad, developed brain tumors. 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 . 89. We are optimistic we will see some action soon. 3/29 UPATE: The list has continued to grow, and now stands at 65 individuals. 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. 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. The perception of a cluster in a community may be as important as, or more important than, an actual cluster, the C.D.C. Print |. Secondary brain tumors, which originate elsewhere in the body and then spread to the brain, are more common. While I am thrilled to have the information coming in again, its also very troubling to see the numbers continue to grow. Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist and mother of a Colonia High School rising junior and freshman, was not pacified by the results. Out for the summer, the health department of the Township of,. Colonia Middle, and Township officials to review the information coming in again, its also troubling... 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