About
It all started when...
On the 15th of December 2014, the country came to a standstill as news broke that a terrorist was holding ten customers and eight employees hostage at the Lindt Café in Martin Place, Sydney.
Louisa and her mother Robin had visited the café for a cup of coffee on that ordinary Monday morning. They were trapped for 16 terrifying hours until the Police Tactical Operations Unit stormed the café. Fifty-four year old Louisa, who has multiple sclerosis, was chosen by the gunman as a human shield. Tragically, two people died that day. Both Louisa and Robin were injured and were blessed to have survived the ordeal.
Louisa spent much of the next three months in Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick. With a determination to get something good out of the tragedy and with gratitude for her care, she founded the Louisa Hope Fund for Nurses at the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation. The fund provided grants for equipment, training and nurse initiated research projects.
While her association with nurses continues to be her ‘happy place’, she currently serves by participating in the NSW Ministry of Health ‘Nursing Excellence Awards’. Louisa remains a passionate advocate for nurses and seeks to bring acknowledgement of their compassionate hearts and professionalism.
PHOTO: Louisa Hope (Dan Cantero Photography)
The sydney siege Podcast
Louisa has collaborated with Podshape Media on the Sydney Siege Podcast to reveal her experience of being a hostage from inside the Lindt Café on 15 and 16 December 2014. The podcast unravels many of the issues highlighted by the Inquest into the deaths arising from the Sydney Siege and the findings and recommendation of NSW State Coroner, Michael Barnes.
more About Louisa Hope
Louisa has always enjoyed playing an active role in her local community. She loves her multicultural community, settling down with a great book, and travelling when she gets the chance. Louisa's church and her great network of friends and family bring her joy each day.
These days she devotes much of her time and energy to making a difference with VOTA (Victims of Terrorism Australia).