After her early death from lung cancer, the Sarah Broom Poetry Prize, was established to remember and celebrate her life and work.

[2] She then completed an MA in English Literature at Leeds and DPhil at Oxford University,[3] studying contemporary British and Irish poetry.

[7] She continued to write poetry throughout her treatment over the next few years, which involved participation in experimental drug trials in Australia.

This prize was established by her husband and friends to celebrate poetry in New Zealand and to encourage and support the recipient to complete a manuscript of poems.

[10] The judging panel for the first award included Paula Green, Sarah Ross, Jennifer Crawford, Pat Palmer and Michael Gleissner.