A loyal, hard and passionate worker, friends said she worked just as hard on fighting her cancer diagnosis over two years ago.
The effervescent beauty was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in late 2010.
"Sarah found the joy and beauty in anything," says Nicole Sheffield managing director, NewsLifeMedia, who worked with McCarthy during her time at Pacific Magazines.
"She was a joy to work with, her creativity and passion inspired so many young girls through their turbulent tweenage and teenage years.
"I truly loved working with her in her easy going yet graceful style, it is indeed a sad day and she will be missed by our entire industry."
After trying for a baby with her husband Dan for two years, routine tests performed on McCarthy in 2010 found an ovarian cyst that was cancerous.
McCarthy had chemotherapy and ultimately underwent a hysterectomy. A few months later, the cancer had spread to her bowel, bladder and colon. But she continued her fight.
Recently friends and family had said McCarthy had been doing well, but after feeling ill late last week she died at home early on Saturday evening following a cardiac arrest.
In a statement to staff at Pacific Magazines today, CEO Nick Chan said the news had come as a shock to everyone.
McCarthy resigned from her successful position as the editor of teen magazine Girlfriend in August 2011 in order to focus her energy on her health.
A creative and innovative editor, McCarthy was instrumental in the success of the magazine taking it to the number one position in the teen girls’ magazine market for the first time since its inception.
Prior to this she was the editor of Total Girl for four years, the number one ‘tween’ title in the country.
Under her leadership, Total Girl won two MPA awards, one for ‘General Excellence’ in 2006 and a ‘Consumer Marketing Campaign of the Year’ in 2007.
McCarthy had previously worked across many fashion and lifestyle titles in a number of editorial roles and was instrumental in the launch phase of a number of youth websites including tvhits.com.au, kzone.com.au and the award-winning Girlfriend.com.au.
Like all of her magazine masthead contemporaries, McCarthy was an advocate for
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month which supports women battling the disease. A disease where three women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every day in Australia.
Not one for lengthy goodbyes, when McCarthy announced her departure from the magazine in her editor’s letter back in 2011 to focus on her health, she was her usual upbeat and energetic self.
"I'm not good at goodbyes or anything that might lead to tears," she told her loyal readers in 2011. "… so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. This is goodbye. Farewell, and lots of love."
A sentiment undeniably echoed now by her peers, colleagues, beloved family, husband and many good friends.
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