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. Thats what makes the numbers staggering, says Lupiano. The Anti-Defamation League said the phrase at the center of the question was popularized as a trolling campaign by members of 4chan a notorious anonymous message board and was adopted by . So, would you take us through what is known so far about this cluster? "My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day, I talk to her all the time," Wisinski said. 100 former students, staff of Colonia High School in New Jersey say they have rare brain tumors. Three of the victims are Al Lupiano, his wife Michelle, and his sister Angele Decillis. Al Lupiano revealed he had a brain tumor 20 years ago, before his wife had one and so did his sister - who died in February aged just 44. Would they just end it at that?. 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 . Lupiano grew up in Woodbridge Township and he now works as an environmental scientist; he no longer lives in Woodbridge. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli, Lawrence Township League of Women Voters announces 2022 leadership award winners, No criminal charges for Hillsborough police officer in 2021 fatal shooting, Vigil marks one-year anniversary of Ukrainian War. State health officials are now conducting an investigation into the cluster of 117 people. Robert Miller The investigation was jumpstarted after it was discovered more 122 people once connected to. What steps are investigators taking to try to figure this out? 94 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey are part of a cancer cluster of still unknown origin. "I am beyond pleased to announce that after an extensive field investigation that included assessing the classrooms, school building materials, and the entire 28 acres of the Colonia High School campus, no radiological hazards were identified that warrant further investigation," he wrote in a letter to families. Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com. Woodbridge Mayor John McCormick lives just a few blocks from the high school. 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. Lupiano's sister passed away in February, 2022 at the young age of 44. A few weeks ago, we very suddenly and tragically lost my 44-year-old sister Angela (CHS-95) to a very rare and highly aggressive malignant glioma brain tumor (Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM)) discovered on her left side, he wrote in the newsletter. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 people . This is the preliminary step that they're taking to see if they can find anything. The sudden death of his sister led Lupiano on a research mission about the rare brain tumors. His sister succumbed to brain cancer. We contacted the author of the post, former student and former resident Al Lupiano, and offered to help, McCormac said. Last year, his sister, also an alumna of Colonia High, was diagnosed with a primary brain tumor, a stage 4 glioblastoma, he told CBS New York. 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. Newsweek has reached out to Colonia High School and McCormac. Medical experts are urging caution but also advising that there is no need for residents to panic. Primary brain tumors are tumors that originate in the brain, as opposed to secondary tumors which start somewhere else and then spread to the brain. Courtesy Al Lupiano. His wife and sister found out on the same day last August - two hours apart. "I need your help Facebook. And today we now stand at 117 individuals with primary brain tumors, and another 70 with very rare cancers.". 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. An investigation has been launched after more than 100 people who attended a high. Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor, said Lupiano. Earlier this year, Colonia graduate Al Lupiano, also an environmental scientist, discovered more than 100 teachers and alums of the school who reported having brain tumors, drawing international attention to the community and sparking state and local investigations. Brain cancer is relatively rare but very dangerous. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. WOODBRIDGE Levels of radiation in and around Colonia High School were found to be consistent with typical background levels of radiation found in New Jersey and no further testing is warranted. Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. 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 Media she has found evidence of highly toxic chemicals at Colonia through her own independent testing. 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But public health experts are cautioning against deeming the tumor cases a "cancer cluster" just yet. Lupiano, an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, believed it was a pattern. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. They were diagnosed on the same day last summer. SOURCES:PEOPLE Magazine, CBS News New York, New York Post, NJ.com &Dr. Joe Whittington. It should also be noted that not all the reports of primary brain tumors are cancerous. Photo credit Google Street View. She loves a good music pun and wakes up very very early. 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. The environmental assessment study at Colonia High School was recently completed, in response to allegations that suggested the school had radiological hazards that contributed to diagnoses. Lupiano said the rarity of the brain tumors raised concerns of the neurologist they shared since they all grew up in relatively the same neighborhood. One former student, Al Lupiano, 50, was diagnosed with brain tumors in the 1990s but subsequently recovered, according to NJ.com. Lupianos 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. 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. 3 min read. The pool is getting a new liner, gutter and deck, along with new filtration systems. Were all concerned, and we all want to get to the bottom of this. Lupiano is still looking for any and all Colonia High School alumni to come forward. "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. Colonia is not a mega high school. Others are benign and very slow-growing that are going to use a different kind of treatment altogether. Last year, Lupianos wife and sister also developed brain tumors, as first reported byCBS New York. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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 . Concerns were raised by Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of Colonia High School, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor along with his wife Michele and sister Angela DeCillis, both of whom had. An investigation into the possible link between Colonia High School and cancer found no radiological hazards that warranted further investigation. By pairing specialists and experts in the field of cancer with robust resources, facilities, and technologies, Hackensack Meridian Cancer Care is committed to getting patients back to the life they love. A comprehensive investigation of soil, indoor air, and groundwater shall be conducted to determine if children and staff are exposed to unhealthy levels of toxins other than already identified PCBs and pesticides., In his letter to the parents in the school district, Massimino wrote: 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. Janice's sister Chery Black also died from brain cancer in 2015. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. The results will then be reviewed by federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency, plus the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health. There's a vast array of treatments, but again, we're dealing with so many different types of primary brain tumors here that they're all treated very differently. Lupiano was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer) when he was 27 years old, about 25 years ago. Unfortunately, hers was terminal, and she died in February. "And if we do find something, we're going to deal with the consequences.". 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 . The couple's neurologist was baffled. Jason Wisinski lost his wife, Janice, 10 years ago to an inoperable brain tumor called Anaplastic Astrocytoma. She also requested the district embark on additional environmental testing. He told WABC that he lost his wife Janice to an inoperable brain tumor 10 years ago and that her sister Cheryl died from brain cancer in 2015. Theres no telling if they're going to find answers here. "The EPA and CDC are not testing at Colonia High School," said Hagerty. He has contacted: Mayor McCormac confirmed these details yesterday to PEOPLE Magazine. A video posted on TikTok video by Dr. Joe Whittington, a board-certified doctor in California gave this issue much needed public attention. This is also great news for all former students who attended and staff to work at CHS since it opened back in 1968., McCormac said they sympathize with anyone who has experienced brain tumors and brain cancers, especially those who lost loved ones to the terrible disease, but there is no cause-and-effect relation between those illnesses and the buildings or grounds at CHS.. Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist,. Print |. An alumnus of Colonia High School in Woodbridege, N.J. is investigating his former high school, claiming he has counted 115 people who attended or worked there to have had a rare brain tumor, according to CBS News. Lupiano became focused as to why all three of them had contracted these rare brain tumors. A graduate as recent as 2014 was found to have a primary brain tumor. All three family members attended Colonia High, the NY Post noted. There have been some outlier cases. I made a promise to my sister while she was dying that if something did this to us, I will find out what did it, Lupiano says. As of Thursday, Lupiano said he has confirmed 65 cases of people with rare brain tumors and they all are either Colonia High School graduates or had worked there, he says. While Lupianos wife Michele is still undergoing treatment, his sister Angela died in February, just months after her diagnosis. Theyve placed canisters inside the school. . Theyre testing the air for radon. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. 100 former NJ high school students . On Feb. 17, Angela died from Glioblastoma Multiforme or GBM. 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. 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. Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2023. He said he is specifically looking for anyone who graduated from or attend Colonia High School from approximately 1975 to 1995. NJ cluster of brain cancer prompts investigation, We rely on your support to make local news available to all, Astoria pool will be closed this summer for renovations: Parks, Gov. Pictured, a stock image of a brain scan. They said it was about a one in a billion odds. Additionally, T&M Associates has begun conducting historic site research to obtain any and all necessary records related to the construction of Colonia High School when it was built in 1967, through to the present. In 1999, when he was just 27, Al. The community is absolutely unnerved and absolutely terrified by what's going on here. "My wife fought like crazy. Komorek said the results of her testing indicate state environmental officials should conduct further tests of the air, soil and building compounds at Colonia. Both had graduated from Colonia High School, the news outlet reported. "I went on Facebook on March 7, and I asked for the people on Facebook to help me find others. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. "What I find alarming is there's truly only one environmental link to primary brain tumors and that's ionizing radiation, said Lupiano. The township announced results of an investigation. Lupiano, his wife Michele (CHS Class of 1991) and his sister Angela (CHS Class of 1995) were all diagnosed with rare, similar sized brain tumors on the left side. It has been lightly edited for clarity. Social media has played a big role in shining the light of truth on this situation. All Rights Reserved. A stock photo shows medical workers looking at a brain scan or brain scans. 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. Asking them to be patient for several more weeks is unacceptable. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. They are testing the grounds outside and inside of the high school inside. He made a public plea on Facebook to anyone from the school who was diagnosed with primary brain tumors. He was diagnosed 20 years ago. This all began last year when Al Lupiano made a startling discovery. Both sisters were graduates of Colonia High School. Stanmyre: Right now, the number this week is up to 117 people who have been found to have a primary brain tumor of some sorts, according to data from Al Lupiano, who is the Colonia graduate who has kind of spearheaded all of this. 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. 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. These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals.. No one knows exactly what it is. Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac immediately and responsibly got engaged. Its not something done to us due to bad habits, Lupiano told CBS News. When he started digging and looking for a link, the common link was Colonia High School. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Lupiano also lost his younger sister to the disease in February at the age of 44, the outlet continued. I pray we find answers. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Janice was pregnant with her and Jason's only child. Thanks to social media, Lupiano found a total of 104 former students and faculty with brain tumors - about half are cancerous. National Cancer Institutes list of 27 common afflictions. Kamal added that there needs to be a full investigation to understand if these cancers are linked, and if there's a specific cause. All rights reserved (About Us). The probe was the result of concerns about a possible brain tumor cluster linked to graduates and staff from Colonia High, a school of about 1,300 students in Middlesex County. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "I had told my sister from the very beginning that there was too much of a coincidence that me, my wife and her all have the same tumor," Lupiano said. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance," his Facebook post read. 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. 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