Judith Salmon Kaur

Judith Salmon Kaur (born 1945) is a Native American oncologist who is Director of the Native American Programs in the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. According to Indian Country Today, Kaur is one of only two Native American oncologists working in the United States.

Early life and education Kaur is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and is also of Cherokee heritage. At the age of five, her Choctaw Nation grandmother told her that she was "meant to be a healer,". She was the first member of her family to graduate from high school, and, after graduating from Augustana College, started her professional career as a teacher. Her husband eventually challenged her to apply to medical school, and in 1975 she was accepted to the University of North Dakota Indian Health Service's Indians into Medicine Program (INMED) programme, which supports Native Americans and Alaska Natives in pursuing careers in healthcare. She originally intended to earn her medical degree and move back to the reservation to work in family medicine. In her third year of medical school, Kaur decided to specialise as an oncologist. She has studied the biomarkers of breast cancer in Alaska Natives and Native Americans. Alongside Native CIRCLE, Kaur leads the American Indian / Alaska Native Initiative on Cancer, Spirit of EAGLES. The programme looks to provide culturally relevant education and research. In particular, Kaur works to improve the access of indigenous communities to the Affordable Care Act. Kaur was named the 2017 Richard Swanson Humanitarian Award winner by her alma mater Augustana College. In 2018 she was awarded the Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award for her work with Native American communities.

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