02/01/2026
10 years ago today the Sanders Pharmacy team lost a precious light in our world: our dispensary technician Neroli.
We can’t believe how fast 10 years have gone, and yet she is so often in our thoughts.
Neroli was a force of nature. Laughter, kindness and effervescent presence that lifted every room she entered.
We think of her at the gym, when we cuddle our kids, when we help make hampers for Musika's Gift. When we celebrate a friend's hard won success, a challenge accepted, a quiet kindness shown. When we heard Mike King speak at a conference, or when a team member takes the time to sit and support someone having a hard time. When we drive past the road to her house, when the light hits a certain way over the fields. When someone is bantering with the courier drivers, or when we are lucky enough to run into one of her friends in the pharmacy or a favourite patient. There is so much of you Neroli in our day to day, I can still hear your voice, your laugh. Your beautiful smile in the photo in my office.
It’s hard not to think about Neroli without a lump in our throats. But in equal measure with the pain of the goodbye is gratitude: that for 5 years our worlds collided and we had the extraordinary honour of having her work beside us almost every day.
We often think of her whānau and friends, and know they are keeping her light alive, that it warms them still.
At her funeral I shared these words, which still feel so true:
“As quickly as Neroli would arrive at work, she would also zoom out the door - often a quick tap tap on the counter, flying around each person "see you!”, huge smile on her face, flying home to see her precious family. It was so very clear to us how much she treasured being a mum, and a wife. We know you were her joy. It will always be my immense privilege to have had Neroli on our team, and we are so very grateful that she was here with us when she could have been somewhere else.”
On her last birthday on earth, she messaged me about enjoying every minute: “Each day is not a given.”
Neroli, you truly lived like that - with love, energy, braveness and strength.
You’ve left an indelible mark on all of us.
We love you. We miss you.
Your Sanders crew x
