Eleanor D. Montague

1993 Inductee
Health and Environment

Dr. Eleanor D. Montague, a fierce advocate of public health education and patient participation in treatment decisions, was a pioneer in the treatment of breast cancer using radiation therapy as an alternative to surgery. She personally cared for thousands of Texas women with breast cancer, and she helped thousands more across the world through her contributions to clinical research. She earned an international reputation for her work to fight a disease that affects one in nine American women.

Dr. Montague authored or co-authored more than 100 articles for the world’s scientific literature and held numerous professional appointments, serving on the National Breast Cancer Task Force and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Project.

She received numerous honors including the Gold Medal of the Radiological Society of North America, the Alumni Award of Achievement from the Medical College of Pennsylvania and the Past State President’s Award of the Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs.

She served on the Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society of Therapeutic Radiologists and on the Executive Committee of the American Radium Society.

In 1986 Dr. Montague received both the Distinguished Service Award and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. This Award recognized her contributions to changing both the physical and emotional outlook for women with breast cancer.

Dr. Montague received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and her medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania.