This open-access article is distributed under Creative Commons licence CC-BY-NC 4.0. IZINDABA

OBITUARY Jacques Cilliers, 25 May 1942 - 7 August 2019

period, he received two degrees cum laude, and reviewed applications received by the BSc Hons and an MSc in Physiology. Medicines Control Council. From 1993 From 1977 to 1980, he worked as a to 2003, he was a visiting dermatologist at registrar in the Department of Dermatology Rössing Hospital, Swakopmund, Namibia. at the same university and completed He also served on the executive committee of the MMed (Derm) degree cum laude. He the Dermatology Society of for received an ICI bursary and in 1981 began many years, including a few years as secretary. research on inflammation in atopic skin Prof. Cilliers was a dedicated husband and under the mentorship of Prof. M Greaves at father, and his hobbies included woodwork St John’s Hospital for Diseases of the Skin in (many of the pieces in his home were made . by him), cycling (he completed several cycle He returned to South Africa and worked as a tours, including one in Europe), photography consultant in the Department of Dermatology and music (he played the piano). at from 1982 to 1993, He passed away after a long illness, when he became head of the department. leaving his wife, Peri, his daughter, Erica, a In the same year, he received an MD degree general practitioner, and his son, Jacques. Prof. Jacques Cilliers was born in Rivier­ from the university for his thesis on ‘Aspects of He will live on in the hearts of his family, his sonderend and matriculated at D F Malan High inflammation in atopic skin’. He was awarded dermatological colleagues and the students School, Bellville in 1960. a professorship and remained head of the who were taught by him. He studied medicine at Stellenbosch department until he retired in 2004. He entered University and completed his MB ChB private practice in Durbanville, retiring from Jonathan Smith degree in 1966. He worked as an intern at dermatology in 2014. President, Dermatology Society of South Karl Bremer Hospital, Bellville, in 1967 and Prof. Cilliers was a passionate teacher and Africa, , South Africa as a medical officer at the same hospital in expected dedication and commitment from [email protected] 1968. his students. He lived by example, publishing In 1969, he did his military service before 18 articles in peer-reviewed journals and Prof. H F Jordaan becoming a lecturer in the Department of presenting numerous papers at regional Former head, Division of Dermatology, Physiology at Stellenbosch University, where and national congresses and meetings. He Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, he worked from 1970 to 1976. During this was involved in several clinical drug trials South Africa

287 April 2021, Vol. 111, No. 4