Almost 100 people connected to the same New Jersey high school developed rare brain tumors, and a cancer survivor is on a quest for answers.
Al Lupiano is one of 94 former students and staff from Colonia High School in Woodbridge diagnosed with “extremely” rare brain tumors. The environmental scientist was diagnosed 20 years ago at age 27.
After his sister and wife received the same diagnosis last year, he started to dig deeper. After his sister died in February, CBS New York reports that Lupiano made a post on Facebook asking if any of the school’s other alumni had brain tumors. What he found shocked him.
“What I find alarming is there’s truly only one environmental link to primary brain tumors, and that’s ionizing radiation,” Lupiano told the outlet. “It’s not contaminated water. It’s not air. It’s not something in soil. It’s not something done to us due to bad habits.”
He reported his findings to Colonia and is now working with local officials to find out what could be causing the tumors. Starting this weekend, numerous radiological assessments will be carried out across the school’s campus. They include testing indoor air samples for radon.
The school was built in 1967 on empty land. The school is the first thing to be on that particular piece of land. According to Woodbridge Mayor John McCormick, no records exist from 55 years ago. He has reached out to the Department of Environmental Protection. Department of Health and the Federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry.
“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,” according to McCormick.
Superintendent Dr. Joseph Massimino said he was waiting to hear from the environmental agencies before notifying the school community. Officials caution that official research has not yet been conducted but acknowledge there could be cause to look into the link between the school and the tumors.
