Tributes for Cairns health advocate Sarah Sexton

A passionate health advocate who once said Cairns cancer sufferers were being forced to “fly or die”, has suddenly died.

Loved ones remember the extraordinary life of Sarah Sexton, a passionate health advocate who transformed her lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis into a powerful force for change in Far North Queensland. Picture: Supplied.

A passionate health advocate who once said Cairns cancer sufferers were being forced to “fly or die”, has died suddenly.

Sarah Sexton, 39, collapsed at her Earlville home on June 18 after it’s understood she suffered from a blood clot.

Friends and family have remembered Mrs Sexton as a vibrant and passionate woman who had overcome serious health challenges in her short life.

Her husband, Blake Sexton, said the pair had taken their dogs for a walk before Ms Sexton collapsed in the bathroom. She was taken to Cairns Hospital where she was sadly died.

Sarah Sexton died suddenly on Wednesday June 18 at her home in Cairns from a suspected blood clot. Picture: Supplied.

Mrs Sexton’s death has has left an unfillable void in the hearts of many.

“Time’s the most precious thing,” Mr Sexton said.

“I’m a bit of a workaholic and she used to pull me up all the time and say, ‘I might not be around forever, so you need to take time off.’ She was just really special like that.”

Blake Sexton and Sarah Sexton met through friends before they married in 2016. Picture: Supplied.

The pair met through mutual friends when they were in high school, but didn’t start dating until their mid-twenties.

They would have celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary in 2026.

Mr and Mrs Sexton shared a business together — Solahart Cairns delivering tailored energy solutions to Far North Queensland residents — while Mrs Sexton was also a loving step-mum to 15-year-old, Jackson Sexton.

Mr Sexton said his wife had an infectious smile, and would light up every room she walked into.

Sarah Sexton and her step son Jackson having a cake fight. Picture: Supplied.

Her friend Christie Shade remembered Mrs Sexton as “a beautiful, caring, fashionable, brave and inspirational person”.

“The memories we shared together, and the photos to prove it, allude to much more ridiculousness and hilarity,” she said.

“Every photo is us laughing so hard, and when I think back to that time I remember we wouldn’t just be laughing like someone told a funny joke, it was the type of laughter that hurt your stomach and brought tears to your eyes.

“Then we would have to try to stop laughing because Sarah would start having a coughing fit, but that would make us laugh even more. She wasn’t just a best friend, she was family.”

Katherine Fraser and Sarah Sexton were friends for more than 35 years. Picture: Supplied.

Katherine Fraser, who first met Sarah as a three-year-old at Cairns Community Kindergarten in 1990, shared memories of their 35-year friendship.

“She had a no-nonsense attitude, a sharp, blunt humour, and an incredible inner strength. No matter what life threw at her, Sarah would rise like a phoenix, time and again,” she said.

“Sarah was incredible, a warrior, funny, stunning and always fabulously dressed. I am devastated by her sudden passing and I regret being so busy the past couple of weeks to have that last coffee or giving her a prolonged hug that she hated.”

Katherine Fraser and Sarah Sexton. Picture: Supplied.

Mrs Sexton battled cystic fibrosis from childhood, often missing school when a simple cold meant being flown to Brisbane for specialised care.

Throughout her life, she faced an extraordinary series of health challenges including a double lung transplant, bowel cancer, a hysterectomy, ongoing liver and kidney issues from medications, and concerns about a breast lump in the past 12 months.

But Mrs Sexton took it all in her stride.

Sarah and Blake Sexton horse riding. Picture: Supplied.

“She’d get to a hurdle, and the doctors would tell her what they had to do, and she’d say, OK, let’s do it,” Mr Sexton said.

“And then she’d recover faster than anyone else I know.”

Mrs Sexton channelled her experiences into powerful advocacy, particularly for improving healthcare services in Far North Queensland.

Earlier this year, she became a vocal advocate for reducing wait times for breast cancer diagnostic services in Cairns, adding her voice to the Cairns Post’s successful “Critical Condition” campaign.

Katherine Fraser and Sarah Sexton met at Cairns Community Kindergarten in 1990. Picture: Katherine Fraser.

She created “Breathing Borrowed Air,” a Facebook page, where she could be a voice for people with chronic illnesses and document what life was like living with cystic fibrosis and a lung transplant, while refusing to be defined by her health conditions.

“Sarah and I met in grade 1,” her lifelong friend Tara Beal recalled.

After a brief “rivalry” over a shared crush, they became inseparable from grade 3 onwards.

“Since then, Sarah and I have been and done everything together,” Ms Beal said.

While Sarah couldn’t have children of her own, she became an honorary aunt to many, particularly Ms Beal’s children.

“My kids became her kids,” she said.

Tara Beal recalls learning to do Sarah's physio for her lungs when they were 16 so they could both go to America for an exchange student trip. However when 9/11 happened the trip was cancelled so the two spent all their money on a massive shopping spree. Picture: Supplied.

“She doted on them. They loved her so much.”

This special relationship was evident with Charlie Beal, who at six years old was “half me who is a Wednesday Addams and half Sarah who was an Enid, all rainbows, glitter and sunshine”.

Mrs Sexton was also a huge animal lover, and she and Mr Sexton often fostered dogs, helping to rehome more than 40 pups during their time together.

“Her absolute passion was rescuing dogs above everything … Animals loved her too. If you walk into someone’s yard, the dog would just ignore everyone else, go straight to her — she had a connection with them,” he said.

Her love for animals extended to horse riding, a passion she pursued despite her health limitations.

Mrs Sexton was also a fashionista — Mr Sexton said strangers would often approach her to compliment her style.

“I always used to tell her how beautiful she was and she’d just look at me like I’m an idiot, but I don’t think she realised,” he said.

Despite fatigue requiring afternoon rest most days, Mrs Sexton refused to let this limit her experiences.

“If she wanted to spend a whole day without sleeping, doing stuff, she’d do it,” Mr Sexton said.

“But she was getting tired, I could see it.”

Sarah Sexton and Charlie Beal. Picture: Supplied.

Christine Shade remembers Sarah as a beautiful, caring, fashionable, brave and inspirational person. Picture: Supplied.

The couple attended concerts regularly, embraced travel opportunities, and prioritised meaningful experiences.

As Ms Beal reflects on life without her dearest friend, she finds solace in continuing Mrs Sexton’s approach to living.

“I plan to honour her memory by continuing to live life to the full. We lived our best life because of her.”

Friend Christie Shade said she would never stop loving Mrs Sexton.

“I look back on our friendship and remember some of the best times of my life, and I feel the worst hurt and pain in my chest. I feel so blessed to have had her in my life. She might be gone but I will never stop loving her.”

Mrs Sexton will be farewelled at Cairns Funeral Directors at Manoora, 11am on July 3.

Originally published as Tributes for Cairns health advocate Sarah Sexton