CNN's Ana Cabrera speaks to Al Lupiano, a former student. McCormac says last Saturday, environmentalists placed random canisters inside the school to collect air samples. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. Doctors gave her about 18 months to live, but she survived five years and saw her daughter grow up some. St. Judes Center for Neuro-Oncology is guided by our commitment to finding new and better answers for our patients with brain cancer. 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. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor with an incidence rate of 3.19 per 100,000 persons in the United States, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). Medical experts are urging caution but also advising that there is no need for residents to panic. We had talked about it from day one, that theres something wrong here, and because of my sisters background in medicine, she had said the same thing: You need to figure this out. Al Lupiano, a 1989 Colonia High School graduate and DeCillis' brother-in-law, notified the community in March about his belief in a possible link between radiation at the school and brain tumors . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Band Booster Club Meeting, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
While that may sound like a high number, determining if a group of cases constitute a cancer cluster can be difficult. 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. Meghan Holohan is a contributing writer who covers health and parenting for TODAY.com. 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. The environmental scientist and industrial engineer picked up on a potential pattern. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. "We're just going to wait to find out. Lupiano has been leading efforts for attention to the potential link ofbrain tumors in the community. DeCillis started showing stroke-like symptoms and went to the hospital in August 2021. Gov. "My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day - I talk to her all the time," Wisinski said. The National Cancer Institute defines a cancer cluster as "the occurrence of a greater than expected number of cancer cases among a group of people in a defined geographic area over a specific time period.". ALSO READ | Man who spotted subway shooting suspect Frank R. James, flagged down officers speaks out, * 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. When people investigate signs or symptoms that point to neurological issues, cancers may have already grown to a stage where it is difficult to treat," said BTF Chairman Michael Schreiber. "Because cancer is a relatively common disease, cases of cancer can appear to cluster even when there is no connection among them. "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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The doctor told us that it is extremely rare for a husband and wife to both have brain tumors. All rights reserved. DeCillis died at age 44 on February 17, 2022. ItfollowsLupiano's research indicating a possible link between the school and brain tumor cases among former students and staff, particularly from the years 1975 to 1995. McCune Law Group, (MLG) Partner Michele Vercoski Leads an Investigation into the Link Between Colonia High School Alumni and a Rare Brain Tumor. They didnt think for a second that it had anything to do with a brain tumor. See How All 50 Wards Voted in the 2023 Chicago Mayoral Election. Facebook Colonia High School. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The free brain scans were pursued by Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate who began researching a possible link between brain tumors and the high school following the February 2022 death of his 44-year-old sister with a malignant brain tumor,just months after she had been diagnosed. "The federal and the state governments all know what the facts are to date and have not expressed any immediate concern. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor with an incidence rate of 3.19 per 100,000 persons in the United States, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). I was feeling lost, and I had remembered this study that I had started, and I made a promise to her that I wasnt going to stop.. 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. Additionally, alumni and staff need to know what is causing these brain tumors in order to protect themselves and monitor their health carefully. A Warner Bros. When Jason Wisinski learned that Al Lupiano was looking into cases of brain tumors at a New Jersey high school, he wanted to help. The MRI process does not expose anyone to radiation. ABC7's Dallas Raines explains the difference, Jury selection begins for convicted torturer accused of escaping jail, Children jump for joy at seeing snow flurries in Canyon Country. On Feb. 17, Angela died from Glioblastoma Multiforme or GBM. She graduated from Tulane Law School in 2004 and passed the bar in New York, New Jersey, and California. 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. "We thank Mayor McCormac and the local residents for raising these concerns and we ask for patience as we pursue the science to try to identify answers. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (714-256-1311) has a campus located at 251 South Randolph Street in Brea. Along with MLGs PHDs in Public Health, Ms. Vercoski will be investigating this case out of the firms Newark office. We'll use your location to find clinics, hospitals and doctors closest to you. The environmental testing is expected to last a month. BTF is using a new generation of Swoop portable MRI scanners developed by HyperFine. "I do think there needs to be greater emphasis placed upon moving to conduct the next phase of sampling. Sonora High School encourages students to become life-long learners and contributing members of an ever-changing world. Named one the countrys highest performing hospitals in neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report and one of America's 100 Best Hospitals in stroke care by Healthgrades we offer a level of care available at very few hospitals in the nation. Community Health Needs Assessments and Improvement Plans, Notice of Nondiscrimination and Communication Assistance. Senior Financial Aid, 1:04 PM - 1:34 PM
Pain profoundly affects every area of your life which is why weve created one of the countrys most successful chronic pain programs. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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. 844-933-0296. The HyperFine MRI unit enables greater flexibility and ease of access to patients than the previous practice of bringing a 72-foot tractor-trailer housing a standard sized mobile MRI to a screening location. We bring together more than a dozen specialties, life-saving research and a relentless commitment to advancing patient outcomes, giving our patients the very best opportunity to recover and heal. Learn more about our pain treatment services. Additional information is available by visiting www.braintumorfoundation.org or calling 212- 489-0600. Request Appointment. She made it five years," said Jason Wisinski. St. Judes neurosurgery program is one of the most advanced in the nation. Your opinion matters! Ms.Vercoskispassion is helping underserved groups receive fair and just compensation for harm they have experienced. More say the information flow is sorely lacking. "My wife fought like crazy. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Sonora High School is a diverse community dedicated to the academic, personal, and social growth of all student learners within a student-centered environment. His research was prompted after both his wife and sister, both Colonia High School graduates, were diagnosed with brain tumors on the same day in August 2021. Optune: this nonsurgical, electrical-frequency therapy disrupts glioblastoma cancer cell growth, representing the first advancement in outcomes for this cancer in over a decade. What is graupel? The St. Jude Sleep Centerbrings unusual expertise to the most common and undiagnosed sleep problem in America today: sleep apnea. After Jason Wisinki's wife and sister-in-law, who both attended Colonia High School, died from brain tumors, the 51-year-old from Hunterdon, New Jersey, who did not attend Colonia, contacted Lupiano through Facebook. Over 100 brain tumors spark investigation at New Jersey high school. You have to find out whats doing this. Since 2007, Michele M. Vercoski has obtained excellent financial recoveries to clients in Personal Injury, Product Liability, Class Action fraud,Commercial Litigation,and workplace harassment and discrimination. NHS Weekly Meeting, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
I dont have any data that says anybody should be concerned right now, and if we had that, we would certainly take action immediately," McCormac said. Thanks to social media, Lupiano found a total of 104 former students and faculty with brain tumors - about half are cancerous. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. On April 10, he recorded the 100th case of someone having a primary brain tumor. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. "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. Obviously, everyone's praying and hoping for the best," said Colonia High School junior Julia Pagnozzi. Parents like Dawn Genoni are willing to wait for those results -- at least at the time Genoni spoke to News 4 last month. The results of those tests will determine the township's next steps, Mayor John McCormac said, adding Woodbridge also is working with the state Department of Health to develop a portal for people to provide more detailed medical information to confirm the accuracy of the list. Cheer March Parent Meeting, 1:04 PM - 1:34 PM
", McCormac hopes testing will determine theres nothing at the school contributing to brain tumors: Then experts will have to figure out why its happening elsewhere. "We absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told NJ.com. 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. Ms. Vercoski can be reached directly at mmv@mccunewright.com. His sister Angela DeCillis had a stage 4 glioblastoma that took her life in February 2022 at age 44, just six months after she was diagnosed. "We're just going to wait to find out. COLONIA, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two environmentalists are using a GPS to test for radiation on the grounds of Colonia High School. Urging caution but also advising that there is no connection among them news 4 last.... 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