Sarah Tidey: a voice of hope in times of trouble falls silent

Sarah Tidey, who graced the front page of The Australian with a strong message of hope during COVID-19, has died.

Sarah Tidey with husband Mick Elsworth, daughter Charlotte and son Jack at home in Melbourne. Picture: Aaron Francis

Sarah Tidey, who graced the front page of The Australian with a strong message of hope during COVID-19, has died.

Sarah, 53, of Melbourne, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015. She penned an essay — and posed for a stunning photograph with her family — to encourage others to remain positive during the early days of the pandemic when many still feared dying from the disease. “I am undergoing chemotherapy, and I’ve grown used to being isolated and feeling vulnerable,” she wrote.

“I’m sharing this as I hope that what I’ve learnt will help others now grappling with uncertainty.”

Readers responded to her warmth and encouragement.

“You are a wonderful woman, Sarah,” said one.

“Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your situation,” said another in response. “I hope many read it and realise that the people we love are what is ­important.”

Another said: “If you can do this, we all can.”

And she did: the last years of Sarah’s life were spent just as she wanted to spend them, reading, writing, travelling, and enjoying time with her husband of more than two decades, Mick Elsworth; their three children, Charlotte, Imi and Jack; and her parents, John Tidey, a former executive with The Age, and his wife, Jackie.

She became a vocal campaigner for cancer research, and raised money for other ­causes, too.

“Cancer has taken a huge physical and mental toll but I’m still here, and with a better perspective about what and who is important in my life, and a healthy respect for my own mortality,” she wrote.

Sarah was surrounded by those she loved, who loved her right back, when she died at home on Monday.