By Alexis Tarrazi
Senior Reporter
LYNDHURST (Aug. 28, 2008, 1:40 p.m.) — The local crusade of Lorraine Colabella, the former Lyndhurst resident who is suffering from incurable multiple myeloma, recently spread to the national level when the National Disease Cluster Alliance shined its spotlight on her personal cancer cluster study.
Acting as a guide, the alliance hopes to steer Colabella’s study in the right direction, by gaining attention and educating the people involved, according to Floyd Sands, director of field operations for NDCA, a nonprofit organization that helps disease-impacted communities.
The alliance works with towns that appear to be impacted by excessive disease cases, by educating, mentoring, advising and facilitating with and on behalf of the communities.
The alliance will not step in and take over Colabella’s study, Sands added, but it will help her gather information on how to gain publicity and conduct the study efficiently.
“The NDCA is working to guide us and educate us, and other board members — a unique cross section of representatives such as epidemiologists, Ph.D.s, scientists, academia and community activists — will be in touch,” Colabella stated in an e-mail. “They have done this before, and they know the ins and outs and we don’t. I am following them to the letter.”
Colabella, who is also being helped by well-known activist Erin Brockovich, is currently working on a publicity video, which will air on the popular YouTube Web site. The purpose of the video and other publicity attempts is to not only inform the public, but to gain attention from state agencies.
“Lorraine is asking questions to which Lorraine deserves answers,” Sands said.
When The Leader contacted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about becoming involved in Colabella’s case, spokeswoman Elizabeth Totman said the agency would only test a potential area if the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection had asked the federal agency to become involved. Totman said the DEP would only get involved at the request of the state Department of Health.
Sands noted that this is a typical response from agencies, which is why the alliance urges publicity to bring more light to the situation.
Colabella — diagnosed with multiple myeloma five years ago — began her crusade after becoming concerned over the cancer rate in the local area.
After posting a brief announcement in The Leader and receiving hundreds of responses, Lyndhurst Health Administrator Joyce Jacobson had the New Jersey Cancer Epidemiology Services conduct a study. The results indicated the cancer rate in Lyndhurst is comparable to that of similar surrounding municipalities.
But Colabella believes the study should be expanded. “There are many ways to look at the statistics,” Colabella stated in an e-mail. “I was diagnosed in South Carolina, but came to Hackensack to be treated. I would not be included in their statistical findings of the number of multiple myeloma cases in Lyndhurst.”
Other stories
June Conzo, who resides on Lyndhurst Avenue, said 18 people in her family grew up in the township and were all diagnosed with some sort of cancer.
“My brother, sister and mom all were diagnosed with lung cancer,” she said.
Conzo listed other family members, including uncles, a grandfather and even her husband, who was diagnosed with colon cancer.
Rosemary Groszman, another Lyndhurst resident, also contacted Colabella with information after she grew concerned with the number of cancer patients on her street, Fifth Avenue.
“To me, the whole thing is ironic, because the street I grew up on had so many cancer patients,” Groszman said. “There were about 12 to 14 people on Fifth Avenue.”
Groszman said she was diagnosed with colon, kidney, liver and lung cancer.
“I am 72 years old, and I came here as a young child,” Groszman said. “At that time, the meadows were a garbage dump. … I just wonder whether some chemicals or trash dumped there affected the area. I think New Jersey itself, with the number of chemical plants we have and the small area with a lot of cars could be a combination of factors for the cancer.”
Sands said these stories matter. “Communities usually feel they are powerless, when in truth the community and the members are the only entities involved in the disease cluster that have any true power,” Sands said.
For any residents in the surrounding area who know of someone who has, or has had multiple myeloma, a rare cancer or any type of cancer, Colabella is asking them to contact lcolabella@gmail.com or write to PO Box 166, Marlton, NJ 08053. She asks respondents to include the year of diagnosis, age, gender and location.
For more information on the National Disease Cluster Alliance, visit www.clusteralliance.org.
