Dear friends,

It is with heavy hearts that we write to inform you that our dear friend Sharanya passed away peacefully in hospital on 9 September 2019 in Dublin, Ireland, with her loving family by her side.

She faced her illness bravely and gracefully, and we will forever be inspired by her positivity.

Sharanya, Barry and their children Kaishori and Alokhi relocated to Rosslare, Ireland, in July. The children are now happily settled in school and living near their doting grandparents and wider family.

We would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the support you provided Sharanya and Barry. They were truly uplifted and overwhelmed by all your messages and the outpouring of love they received, alongside the generous financial support.

Sharanya’s funeral was held in Rosslare and Dublin on 14 September 2019. Below, we would like to share the speech we gave that day in celebration of her life.

With love, Andrea, Annmarie, Jang, Kamni & Stephanie.

Good afternoon everyone. Today we are speaking on behalf of Andrea, Annmarie, Jang, Kamni and Stephanie. We have all been good friends with Sharanya since our school days in Hong Kong. She was our best friend and like a sister to us.

We have been with Sharanya through teenage dramas, exam stress, house parties and travels around the world. This evolved into being there for each other through weddings, new jobs, the ups and downs of adult life and then the world of parenting.

Organising a meet-up between the six of us was a challenge but three things could always be guaranteed. Firstly, we would receive a message from Sharanya just before we were due to meet to say that she was running late. Secondly, when she did turn up, she would look fabulous and be perfectly accessorized. Last but not least, when we would sit down for a meal, she would be the one staring at the menu the longest, debating what to order.

Everyone who met Sharanya would be struck by her beauty, her smile, her generosity and her kindness. Sharanya’s smile was radiant, because she celebrated all that was good, whether it be spending time with her children, family and friends, a simple walk on the beach, or listening to her favourite songs. Whenever we met, she would always find cause to laugh and her trademark giggle would lift all our spirits.

Sharanya’s generosity was not lost on anyone who knew her. When we were kids, she would spend hours making us handmade cards and mix tapes. When we turned 40, she spent months putting together an incredible photobook for each of us, collating memories that spanned three decades.

No matter what she had going on in her own life, she was selfless with her time and energy. She was the best listener and helped us to see the positives in any situation. Sharanya really embodied this positivity in the last couple of years. Despite being so unwell, she never forgot to ask us about the day to day details of our lives, from house moves to weekend plans. She could always sense if something was bothering us and would take the time to have what she would call a DMC – deep meaningful conversation. This didn’t just apply to us. She spent many hours sharing her experience with others who had been diagnosed with cancer and supporting them.

Above all, Sharanya was truly devoted to her family. She loved her parents and her sister dearly and was a very proud Aunty. It has been heart-warming to see Sharanya build her own family. We still remember how her eyes lit up when she first told us about ‘this handsome and nerdy Irish guy called Barry’ who she had met at Cambridge. They brought out the best in each other and were the perfect couple. When she later became a mother, or as Kaishori and Alokhi call her, Ami, we saw her reach new depths of unconditional love.

We have learnt so much from Sharanya, and she was always the one in the group with the true gift for words. So we thought it fitting to share with you all her reflections on life that she summed up so well on her last birthday. She wrote: “Although the last two years have been very hard they have shown me not to take anything for granted, to recognise every day and unexpected moments of lightness and joy, and to accept and give more kindness.”

Sharanya, we will treasure your words of wisdom. You are irreplaceable, we love you and we miss you. Thank you for everything. You will always remain in our hearts.