Center of Deaf Health Excellence

07/20/2026

The CDHE family gathers to honor the memory of one of our beloved community partners: Juan José Fumero Carrión.

Juan gave so much of himself to our shared work. He was instrumental in recruiting Puerto Rican Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing individuals for several of our research projects, and he was a passionate advocate for the inclusion of Puerto Rican Sign Language (LSPR) users in research studies.

Every one of these contributions reflected who he was: someone who showed up for others. His kindness touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him, and his legacy will continue to live on through the many lives he uplifted.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who loved him.

🔗 Read the study he contributed to: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1771970/full

07/09/2026

Telehealth is designed to make it easier to connect with your healthcare provider virtually. However, many DDBHH patients experience access issues. If you've been unable to join, complete, or fully participate in a telehealth appointment due to access issues, we encourage you to share with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Watch the ASL video below for step-by-step instructions on how to file a complaint using the FCC complaint form.

The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

07/06/2026

Last week, our team attended the 58th Biennial National Association of the Deaf - NAD Conference, and we've been reminded of how much these gatherings matter, especially as starting points for identifying health priorities.

We presented a workshop: "From University-Community Discussion to Funded Project: When Community Drives the Research Needs." The story began with two conversations. At the 2017 DWU Conference, Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar spoke with a Deaf woman whose experience stuck with her. Then, at the 2018 NAD Conference in Hartford, a conversation with Dr. Ammons and several Deaf community leaders echoed the same need: caregivers who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing (DDBHH) and use ASL were struggling to access the support they needed to navigate healthcare while caring for their loved ones living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia (ADRD).

Those conversations led to two NIH grants; first one focused on the Quality of Life and Needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Caregivers and the second one, a multi-year grant, funded ASL-based Community Health Navigator training and a clinical trial run by our center.

We're proud to be members of NAD and grateful for the work they continue to do. Here's to many more conversations that turn into action.

05/29/2026

Aloha from Honolulu! 🌺 DT and Erika attended the 41st Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where they presented their poster, "American Sign Language–Fluent Patient Navigator Model to Reduce Cancer Screening Barriers for ASL Users."

05/15/2026

Join Disability Equity Collaborative (DEC) on Wednesday, June 3 at 12:00 PM EST for their second research presentation of 2026, "Advancing Cancer Screening Among Americans Who Use Sign Language" from Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar! Register here: https://lnkd.in/epyNwwzR

05/13/2026

Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar, Director of Gallaudet's Center of Deaf Health Excellence, kicked off the NIH Common Fund's Discovery Dialogues Webinar Series with a powerful message: compared to those receiving standard care, participants paired with an ASL-fluent community health navigator were more likely to complete cancer screenings and to report better overall communication with their doctors.

Read the full story here:

“We all know cancer screenings save lives,” explained Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar, ’93, as she started her presentation for the NIH Common Fund’s Discovery

05/04/2026

Sharing this! Erika Bergeron, MPH and Donalda Ammons, Ed.D. are presenting "From University-Community Discussion to Funded Project: When Community Drives the Research Needs" at the 58th Biennial NAD Conference! If you're attending, be sure to check out their presentation!

Full listings & CEU details: nad.org/sf26/workshops

From University-Community Discussion to Funded Project: When Community Drives the Research Needs, presented by Erika Bergeron, MPH, Donalda Ammons, Ed.D., at the 58th Biennial National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Conference. Image includes a presenter headshot with NAD and RID/ACET logos. Visit nad.org/sf26/workshops for full listings and CEU details.

04/27/2026

Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar will be discussing “Using Community Health Navigators to Advance Cancer Screening Adherence for all Americans who use American Sign Language” to kick off the new NIH Common Fund’s Discovery Dialogues Webinar Series on May 6 at 1 p.m. ET. Register [here](https://gallaudet.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f0db40762945b2d250fe7adc6&id=6c737b4db3&e=762670e453) to take part in the public event, which will highlight the NIH Common Fund Transformative Health Disparities Program.

04/15/2026

"DDBHH people deserve care where they're fully understood, not just accommodated. That's what we're building toward." - Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar, CDHE Director

When DDBHH community members become the health navigators themselves, that's not just research. That's transformation. As our 5-year NIH-funded cancer prevention project wraps up, the work continues. We're proud of the impact and excited for what's ahead.

Read the full story:

A patient is presented with a series of documents in dense English text. A rushed doctor may or may not explain how a preventive screening will benefit

04/06/2026

Happy !

At CDHE, we're committed to advancing public health for Deaf, Deaf Blind, and Hard of Hearing community every day.

Learn more about our work: deaf-health.com