Sarah Kruger
Sarah Jane Kruger, FRACS
15 June 1972 - 1 May 2015
General Surgeon
Fittingly, it was under the canopy of the huge pohutukawa trees in the Parnell Rose Gardens overlooking the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland that Sarah Kruger's family, friends and colleagues gathered for her memorial service in April 2016. Sarah's funeral was in England in 2015 and the memorial took place when Sarah's husband, Simon, and son, Charlie, were in New Zealand. Sarah had loved taking Charlie to climb on the undulating branches of the pohutukawa trees. This iconic New Zealand tree symbolises Sarah's life. Pohutukawa trees typically grow on the sea shore (Sarah loved the coast), and, defying the odds, hang stubbornly to life on rugged cliffs. They do so with grace and still manage to flower in brilliant red exuberance, while providing shelter.
Sarah, the second child of Linda Roberts and Paul White (Radiologist), was born in Auckland. She had an older sister Tracey and younger brother Christopher. Sarah attended Epsom Normal Primary School and Epsom Girls Grammar School in Auckland, where she was an enthusiastic hockey player and loved amateur dramatics. She then moved to Dunedin and attending the Otago University to complete a BHB. Sarah gained entry to the Auckland Medical School where she graduated MB ChB in 1997. She spent three years as a house-surgeon at Tauranga Hospital where her interest in surgery was first kindled. After passing the Part 1 examination in 2001, Sarah spent a year working in London as a general surgery registrar before returning to New Zealand to begin advanced training in general surgery.
Sarah was active in teaching and clinical research, having four papers published as first author. Her paper "Driveway Injuries in Auckland 1998-2001: A Preventable Tragedy" won the 'Best Free Paper' at the Annual Meeting of the NZAGS in 2002. This work, which included a pragmatic analysis of the factors in driveway design contributing to injury and death, has subsequently been widely quoted in New Zealand media and had significant influence on local government policy.
Sarah met her husband-to-be Simon Kruger, in 1996 at Nadi airport in Fiji, on her way to an elective in the Solomon Islands. Following an inter-continental courtship, they married in 2004. Their son Charlie arrived in 2006, blessed with Sarah's vivid blue eyes and his mother's cheeky sense of humour. Sadly, at the same time Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer, and shortly after the joy of his arrival came surgery and chemotherapy. After careful consideration, Sarah continued with her surgical career, completing her Fellowship examination in 2009 and convocating at a memorable ceremony at the Perth ASM 2010 (attended by her family along with the three colleagues from her Fellowship study group). Significantly for Sarah the convocation was lead by Mr Ian Civil, then President of RACS, who had provided her with wise mentorship, kindness, advice and understanding.
In 2009 Sarah and Simon decided to move back to London where Sarah began working at the Chelsea and Sutton Branches of the Royal Marsden Hospital, first as a Fellow and then locum Consultant Breast Surgeon. Sarah enjoyed the multidisciplinary collaboration integral to breast practice and developed a keen interest in improving service delivery and the patient experience, becoming involved in several service delivery projects. She took a very active role in junior doctor teaching, particularly assisting with the writing of instructional handbooks.
Sarah displayed extraordinary courage and resilience as she endeavoured to live life as normally as possible and continue to help others with breast cancer, while she lived with metastatic disease. Sarah worked until a month before she died. Simon commented that Sarah's work and her compassion for others seemed to sustain her, as did the fine care and compassion Sarah received at the Royal Marsden, from her medical team, her colleagues and all those with whom she worked.
Sarah was a loyal, caring and kindfriend to many - as evidenced by the tributes at her funeral and memorial services. She was fun-loving, and an excellent conversationalist - a great guest around the dinner table, and friend to take shopping! Many recall her dry wit, at times with a subtle double edge, (a kindness to the butt of the joke perhaps?) - sometimes the edge could be scalpel-sharp, the only sign of her restrained mirth a twinkle in her eye.
Sarah is greatly missed by her parents Linda and Paul, sister Tracey, brother Christopher and husband, Simon, and son, Charlie. Words inadequately express the profound grief of a parent, sibling, spouse or child, when the life of a loved one is cut tragically short. Sarah was remembered under the graceful old pohutukawa trees, as a strong young sapling pohutukawa was planted to honour her. As it grows, it too will provide shelter, as Sarah's memory continues to provide shelter to her loved ones. Rest in peace Sarah.
This obituary was prepared by Vanessa Blair FRACS with the help of Sarah's family and friends.
POHUTUKAWA - THE NEW ZEALAND CHRISTMAS TREE: As in many countries, in Aotearoa-New Zealand the flora and fauna provide symbolism for culture and identity. The pohutukawa was referred to as the "New Zealand Christmas tree', by early settlers because it bloomed bright red in December and January. To Māori it serves as a source of cultural inspiration in legends and religious tradition.
One pohutukawa tree in particular holds great significance for Māori. On the northern most tip of Aotearoa-New Zealand, Cape Reinga, the tree clings onto a rocky outcrop and is supposedly around 800 years old. In Māori mythology, the site marks the place where spirits of the dead leave on their journey to the ancestral homeland of Hawaiiki-A-Nui. The spirits descend down the roots of the tree passing beneath the sea and into the underworld (Reinga) to begin the voyage. The spirit emerges onto Ohaua, which is the highest tip of the Three Kings Islands, for a final farewell to Aotearoa ('the long white cloud') before joining the ancestors. (Ref: The meaning of Trees 2013).