", "If there are any potential environmental exposure pathways identified and a need for further environmental sampling, the state Health Department will work cooperatively with (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to conduct a public health assessment and evaluate the potential for health effects," the statement continued. Football Booster Club Meeting, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Over 100 cases of brain tumors and other cancers have been discovered in former students of Colonia High School, constituting a cancer cluster according to Stanford's Dr. Paul Graham. Medical experts are urging caution but also advising that there is no need for residents to panic. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS The 110 people that Lupiano has counted on his list of former Colonia High School graduates have been. She left the nursing profession in 2001 to pursue a legal career with a special emphasis on using her nursing knowledge to help those in legal need. Earlier:'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases. COLONIA, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two environmentalists are using a GPS to test for radiation on the grounds of Colonia High School. I dont know if I have ever had another husband and wife who have an acoustic neuroma. 2. Lupiano's 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 . To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. CNN's Ana Cabrera speaks to Al Lupiano, a former student who is now investigating the school. Former Colonia High School student Al Lupiano first decided to investigate when both his wife and his sister were diagnosed with brain tumors, two decades after he himself had suffered. Lupiano started researching. Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain Tumors, What Is Aphasia? A scan revealed that she had a tumor on the left side of the brain that was 30 millimeters. As his sisters health worsened, he said found 15 people who went to his high school, Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, who also had primary brain tumors. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. IE 11 is not supported. He joined the search for alumni and former staff at the school who'd also developed brain tumors and told TODAY multiple people have reached out to him. Early detection is the best hope for slowing the course of the disease, and hopefully reaching tumor remission. Pre-Schools & Private Schools. 3 min read. The firm has been using Geiger counters, which detect nuclear radiation, "to scan every square inch of the property," McCormac said, and placing radon detectors in all the classrooms, offices, gym and auditorium. New residents seeking information on elementary, junior and senior high schools, or adult education should call the School District Office at 714-990-7800. Ms. Vercoski takes a special interest in the connection between health problems and exposure to environmental issues affecting New Jersey, the state where she grew up and where her family and friends continue to live. The physical, occupational and speech therapists in our outpatient neurorehabilitationprogram provide skilled, experienced support for people with movement disorders. If requested, BTF can refer the patient to a qualified medical specialist for further investigation and treatment. And with the list that grew by two people in just the last week, the results of recentradiation and radon testing at the school on East Street can't come soon enough. Additionally, alumni and staff need to know what is causing these brain tumors in order to protect themselves and monitor their health carefully. 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. "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. Updated Apr 17, 2022 at 4:10pm. 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. Academic Saturday School, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM If students and staff are being subjected to harmful environmental exposures at Colonia High School, swift and urgent action must be taken to protect the future health of the students and staff. St. Judes Center for Neuro-Oncology is guided by our commitment to finding new and better answers for our patients with brain cancer. 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. After nearly 100 people who attended the same New Jersey high school developed rare brain tumors, an alumnus and cancer survivor is demanding answers. The University of California at Irvine, Chapman College, and Cal Poly Pomona are all within easy freeway access. Sonora High School encourages students to become life-long learners and contributing members of an ever-changing world. "Because cancer is a relatively common disease, cases of cancer can appear to cluster even when there is no connection among them. When Jason Wisinski learned that Al Lupiano was looking into cases of brain tumors at a New Jersey high school, he wanted to help. (TODAY has not confirmed each individual case.) At the time, medium lifespan for her type of tumor was 18 months. Academic Achievement Awards, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM I said, Im going to go on Facebook and either find answers or make myself look foolish and put out what I found and open myself up to the ridicule of science.. 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. Every inch of Colonia High School, part of the Woodbridge Township School District, 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 diagnosed amongst former students and staff. "That started setting off bells and whistles in my head.". 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Ms. Vercoski, who was raised in Carteret and Middlesex County and who recently lost a close friend and alumnus of Colonia High School to this rare brain tumor, is utilizing her personal investment in this investigation to become part of the solution to provide answers and relief to alumni and staff affected by this rare brain tumor. Earlier this month, the township approved an emergency $221,350 contract for an engineering firm to conduct radiological assessments at Colonia High School. All three were diagnosed with a brain tumor. That conversation inspired Al Lupiano to do some research. "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. You have to find out if its something thats going to affect my kids, Al Lupiano, 50, of Jamesburg, New Jersey, told TODAY. Because the school remains open, we demand greater urgency to find out if potentially harmful substances are harming our children and staff at Colonia High School.". The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". They learned of their tumors eight days apart. Set your location to find care near you. MLG is a national Environmental and Class Action law firm serving the victims of environmental and corporate negligence across the country. When Al Lupiano investigated why he, his wife and his sister had brain tumors, he told TODAY he uncovered more people with them who went to or worked at the high school. When Wisinskis sister-in-law Cheryl Black was recovering from surgery to remove her grade 2 oligodendroglioma in 2007, his wife, Janice Wisinski, who was 29 weeks pregnant, started having a seizure in Black's hospital room, he recalled. By specializing in this frequently overlooked sleep disorder, we offer the clinical knowledge to fully evaluate and accurately identify the cause, as well as create the most effective, personalized treatment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Grad Nite Tickets on Sale, 12:40 PM - 1:04 PM Mayor McCormac says the Environmental Protection Agency is now involved. Our fellowship-trained neurosurgeons and neurointerventional radiologists utilize these and other leading-edge technologies to provide expert care for the full range of neurosurgical conditions, from brain injuries and complex brain tumors to nerve compression and herniated disks. Around the same time, Michele Lupiano was experiencing some hearing loss and balance problems. Earlier this year, Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist and Colonia High School graduate, discovered more than 115 people who spent time at the school had a rare brain tumor. I hope to God that they can find something. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (714-256-1311) has a campus located at 251 South Randolph Street in Brea. "We have to know whatwe've found so far, if anything, before we test for the next level," McCormac said. JROTC Sports Day Competition, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM The township announced results of an investigation. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), JSTOR - Academic Journals, Books, and Primary Sources, IB/Honors Application for Incoming Freshmen, McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, Parent Teacher Student Association - PTSA, 2023/2024 New Incoming Student Registration Information. One review of 576 cancer cluster investigations over 20 years published in Critical Reviews in Toxicology found only 72 actually had increased rates of cancer. It is a great advantage to find tumors as early as possible. Brain tumors represent the highest per-patient initial cost of care for any cancer group with an annualized mean net cost of care approaching $150,000; and the highest annualized mean net costs for last-year-of-life care, relative to other cancers, at $135,000 to $210,000 (depending on age and sex) per patient. Additional information is available by visiting www.braintumorfoundation.org or calling 212- 489-0600. These low-level contaminations can be very difficult to prove as a cancer cluster because there are going to be a lot of other schools with the same level of contamination there, (and) they have dont brain cancers.. Theres some statistical analysis that has to get done, Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, told TODAY. 6 Amazon travel essentials for your next getaway, starting at $12. McCormac says last Saturday, environmentalists placed random canisters inside the school to collect air samples. "The nurses thought (she) was my sister-in-law because she was the one with the tumor. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. For other adult education information, call 714-526-8258. Al Lupiano and sister Angela, who died at age 44 in 2022. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Lupiano has been leading efforts for attention to the potential link ofbrain tumors in the community. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Mayor sees no need for more cancer testing at Colonia High School, No radiological hazards found at Colonia High School, no further testing planned, 'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. DeCillis started showing stroke-like symptoms and went to the hospital in August 2021. "We're just going to wait to find out. The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. Gov. He started researching and made a public plea on Facebook to anyone from the school who was diagnosed with primary brain tumors. Reports claim that more than 60 former students and staff of Colonia High School have been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called glioblastoma. But wed love to be able to rule out the school., Since March, Lupiano said he has found 107 people who attended or worked at the school who have primary brain tumors. 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. Ms. Vercoski has also contributed to legal publications as an author and values continuing education for attorneys. Advanced Neurological Care. WOODBRIDGE The Brain Tumor Foundation (BTF) is offeringfree early brain tumor detection, with MRI screenings, in response to concerns surrounding more than 125 former Colonia High School students, teachers and employees who have apparently developed brain tumors. For Lupiano, the concern is very personal. Our nationally respected neurological rehabilitation programs include inpatientand outpatientsettings. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". While we are waiting for the results of the radiological survey to be finalized, precious time is being wasted. We were told we have to make a decision on when to have the baby versus when were supposed to have surgery to try to remove the tumor, he said. The screenings will be held 9a.m. to 5 p.m. June 22-24 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27-30 at Joy's Dance House, 747 King Georges Road in the Fords section. Higher Education Courtesy Al Lupiano Since March, Lupiano said he has found 107 people who. Follow her on Twitter to see her recent stories. Hiswife Michele, a 1991 Colonia High School graduate, had a large acoustic neuroma on her left side, which is life-threatening if left untreated. If you are a Colonia High School graduate, student, or staff member who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, contact MLG today to participate in the investigation. New Jersey NJ Parents Demand Swifter Action in School Cancer Probe After 100+ Brain Tumors Diagnosed More than 100 former Colonia High School students and staff over a 30-year period. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. And its very possible they might not.. Request Appointment. Eyewitness News has reached out to them, and are waiting to hear back. "The federal and the state governments all know what the facts are to date and have not expressed any immediate concern. This coveted designation recognizes our ability to offer the highest-quality stroke care available today. 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. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address His wife. In 1999, when he was just 27, Al. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance," his Facebook post read. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. Speaks to Al Lupiano Since March, Lupiano said he has found 107 people who has 107... Of the disease, and are waiting to hear back ms. Vercoski has also contributed legal! Elementary, junior and senior High schools, or adult education should call the School collect. 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