Our Story

Louisa DaCosta made her way to South Australia in the nineteenth century, arriving in a young colony still finding its feet. Like many who settled here, she witnessed firsthand how quickly illness and hardship could take hold of a family with little warning, and how few places there were for people to turn to when it did. It was this experience, lived among the community she came to call home, that shaped the compassion and resolve she would later be remembered for.

When Louisa came to consider her legacy, she chose to leave a bequest that would care for South Australians facing unexpected or chronic illness long after her lifetime. Her vision was simple and enduring: that no person should have to face serious illness weighed down by financial hardship, and that assistance should be given with dignity, discretion and genuine compassion to those who needed it most.

For over 125 years, the Louisa DaCosta trust has been supporting eligible South Australians by providing practical financial support when patients are at their most vulnerable.