By Alexis Tarrazi
Senior Reporter

LYNDHURST (May 5, 2008, 3:15 p.m.) — Five years ago, former Lyndhurst resident Lorraine Colabella was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer that affects plasma cells, and is treatable but incurable.

As time passed, Colabella and her friend Annette Bortone said they noticed their fellow Lyndhurst High School classmates and other local residents were also being diagnosed with some form of cancer.

“We lost two friends in two years,” said Bortone, Lyndhurst resident and vice president of the Lyndhurst Woman’s Club said. “Both were sisters and were both diagnosed with lung cancer that moved to brain cancer. They were both only 66 years old.”

Colabella added her sympathies too.

“Everyone has someone in their family with it or died of it,” Colabella said. “Too many people have it in one town.”

Concerned with the rising numbers of residents diagnosed with cancer, Colabella reached out to the state to ask officials to conduct a cluster study.

“I am worried about the toxic waste in different areas, that are found in the six superfund areas near Lyndhurst,” Colabella said.

However, Colabella said she was met with resistance. “I have been trying to do this by corresponding with the state for four years and I really don’t get anywhere with them,” Colabella said.

So she took it upon herself to conduct her own cluster study on the cancer rate in the township.

That’s when the first road block appeared. Lyndhurst Health Administrator Joyce Jacobson informed Colabella that because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), she was restricted from releasing personal medical information.

However, Jacobson said if their was a problem in the area, she and the health department would definitely help.

To side-step the act, Colabella called on her close friend, Bortone, to help her out.

“Lorraine called and asked me to put a press release in (The Leader),” Bortone said. “I told her anything I can do to help her, I will definitely do.”

The release, printed on the front page of the April 24 edition of The Leader stated “participants do not have to give their name unless they wish to.”

The information requested was the age of the person who has or had cancer, the age of the person when diagnosed, if the person died, when the person died, whether the person is male or female, and what type of cancer.

Printing the release allowed Colabella to avoid the HIPAA act by having residents voluntarily offer information. After the release was printed in The Leader, Colabella said she received over 50 e-mails.

“We thought it will be really hard to get through to people, but The Leader has been wonderful,” Colabella said. “Because of the release, we have gotten so much response.”

With such a large outpouring, Colabella said she had to think of a new way to compile information. “I am sure there are more people out there that may not have computers, so now we opened a P.O. box,” Colabella said. “Most of people who responded were very concerned.”

Many responders were very open to Colabella and offered up tons of information. “They gave us details about their concerns, people they know who are sick and what happened to them,” Colabella said. “Some are very heart-wrenching stories ... One person said there  were whole families affected and were all from the same block.”

Colabella said once she ha gathered the responses, she will compile the information to try and determine if there are clusters at high risk. Once she has enough information, she said she will send it to the state for a follow up to her findings.

In Bergen County, there was a total of 26,538 new cancer cases filed between 2001 and 2005, according to the New Jersey Department of Cancer Registry. With over 60 different types of cancer listed for Bergen County, prostate cancer for males ranked the highest, followed by breast cancer.

To send information on any type of cancer in Lyndhurst, e-mail lcolabella@gmail.com or send a letter to P.O. Box 166 Marlton, N.J. 08053.

For more information on cancer rates in Bergen County, visit New Jersey's Cancer Registry here.