A loving, aromatherapy hug to help and support patients and family/whanau. That’s how The Herb Farm’s managing director Sarah Cowan describes the company’s monthly gift of Compassion Boxes to the Arohanui Hospice.

“My mother (The Herb Farm founder Lynne Kirkland) developed the products and the idea for the Compassion Boxes. We wanted a gift to support and help people,” Sarah says. “And we wanted to give something back to the Arohanui Hospice.”

The boxes have three products; almond and calendula hand cream, vanilla and orange lip balm, and a special Love Mood Mist, which is spritzed around the crown of the head to help lift the mood and support skin health. The Mood Mist’s key essential oils are rose, for love and compassion, and vanilla, for warmth and comfort.

The hand cream is ideal to soothe and massage hands suffering from frequent hand sanitising or washing. The Herb Farm grows the calendulas – bright yellow and orange flowers – and creates a herbal extract from them for the cream. And the lip balm helps sore, dry lips.

Sarah says her family experienced the hospice’s love and care firsthand when her grandfather died. The staff provided in-home care, supporting the family.

“They were there in the final days, doing and saying all the right things. We so appreciated it.”