Center for Deaf Health Excellence


The Center for Deaf Health Excellence (CDHE) advances access to cancer screening for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing communities through research, advocacy, and education.

Cancer Screening Videos

Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar, a South Asian woman with glasses, wearing a pink long-sleeved shirt and dark red scarf, stands presenting in front of a blurred classroom window in Gallaudet University's Hall Memorial Building.

March 6, 2022

Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar awarded NIH grant to address cancer health prevention in deaf and hard of hearing populations

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Project Background

Early detection through regular cancer screening is important in saving lives and improving successful treatment rates. Research has shown that deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing (DDBHH) individuals are lagging behind hearing people in some cancer screenings. In 2021, Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar, Center Director, received a $4.4M U01 cooperative grant from the National Institutes of Health for a 5-year study exploring interventions to improve cancer health prevention in the DDBHH community.

All Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing people deserve access to cancer care.

Emmanuel Perrodin-Njoku (a Black man in a gray suit and black vest) and Erika Bergeron (a white woman with red hair, wearing a black vest and short black shirt) smile while standing behind a booth table with a sign reading "Gallaudet University | Center for Deaf Health Equity."

Project Updates

Meet the Team