Patricia Kailis

Patricia Verne Kailis (19 August 1933 – 17 April 2020) was an Australian businesswoman, geneticist and neurologist noted for her work in genetic counseling for neurological and neuromuscular disorders.

Life and career Kailis was born Patricia Verne Hurse in Castlemaine, Victoria. She attended Presbyterian Ladies' College in Melbourne and then studied medicine at Melbourne University. In 1958, she moved to Perth to work at Royal Perth, Princess Margaret and King Edward Memorial hospitals.

In 1960, she married Michael Kailis and the couple moved to Dongara, Western Australia, in 1961 to establish a crayfish factory. Here, Kailis became the local general practitioner.

Awards and honours In 1979, Kailis was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions in the fields of carrier detection and the detection of inherited diseases. In 1996 she was named a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to medicine as a genetic counselor for neurological and neuromuscular disorders to the Human Genetics Societies of WA, the Royal Perth Hospital and to Rocky Bay Inc for over 20 years.

In 2010, Rocky Bay Inc opened the Patricia Kailis Centre in Cockburn Central. The Centre is dedicated to Kailis for her support of Rocky Bay over four decades. It provides therapy and support for families living with disabilities.