Our Story
CARE THAT BEGAN WITH ONE REMARKABLE WOMAN
St Anastasia's Care was founded by Natasha in honour of her grandmother, Anastasia — a woman with a natural gift for caring for others, and no need for a certificate to prove it. Her patience, her warmth, and the way she made everyone feel like family became the blueprint for everything we do. Today we bring that same heartfelt care to older Australians and people living with disability across the Sutherland Shire — because everyone deserves to be looked after the way Anastasia looked after those she loved.
A Legacy of Love That Inspires Everything We Do
St Anastasia's Care was founded by Natasha in honour of her grandmother, Anastasia — a remarkable woman with a natural gift for nurturing and caring for others. She had no formal training in the healing arts, yet her instinct for care ran deeper than any qualification could teach.
Anastasia's approach was unconventional but profoundly effective, and it left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her. Her patience, her love, and her attentiveness became the foundation for everything we do today.
Inspired by her grandmother's legacy — and by the revered Saint Anastasia — Natasha built a care organisation with genuine human connection at the heart of every interaction. This isn't corporate care. It's family care: the kind of care we'd want for our own loved ones.
Natasha brings her own professional expertise to this work — a postgraduate degree in Business Administration and years of personal caregiving experience — but what shapes St Anastasia's Care most is the example Anastasia set. Every person we support is welcomed the way she welcomed everyone: with patience, with warmth, and with the quiet belief that good care begins with genuine connection.
In Loving Memory
To many, she was a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, neighbour, and friend. To Michael and Natasha, however, she was the greatest woman who ever lived—the one who was present at their first breaths, raised them, and devoted her entire life to them. Her love was unconditional, boundless, and limitless.
Anastasia Dorotheou was born on January 13, 1936, in Mytilene, Lesbos, to Cleo and Stanley. She was a beloved sister to Andrew, Victoria, Paraskeva, Dimitra, Rouvanthi, and Paul, and a devoted mother to George and Maria. She became a grandmother to Natasha and Michael and a great grandmother to Daniel and Marco.
At 21, Anastasia met her future husband, Dorotheos. Their love was immediate. Before leaving to serve in the Greek army, he proposed, to which she replied, "I will not be a widow before the ink dries on our marriage certificate. If you return, I will marry you!" His return led to their marriage on August 15, 1958.
On April 9, 1961, she gave birth to her son and migrated to Australia a year later. Anastasia and Dorotheos bought their first home in Petersham, where they welcomed their daughter Maria on May 9, 1967. Anastasia ensured her children had a better life, fueled by her endless love and devotion.
May 4, 1987, marked another level of love when Natasha, the first grandchild, was born. Hearing Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful" on her way to the hospital, Anastasia knew her daughter had given birth to a girl. That bond with Natasha was immediate and unbreakable.
The family grew as she welcomed her grandson and great-grandsons Daniel and Marco. Anastasia was immensely proud and loving.
On the birth of her grandson on July 12, 1994, and despite visiting hours being over, Anastasia, being impatient, disguised herself as a nurse to visit him in the maternity ward.
Anastasia's life was dedicated to raising Natasha and her brother, filled with home cooked meals, happiness, laughter, adventure, and memories. She saw herself not just as a grandmother but as their mother.
After her father's passing, Maria ensured Anastasia's later years were comfortable, marked by family vacations, gatherings, and laughter.
Anastasia was considerate, loving, selfless, nurturing, compassionate, and generous, yet also strong, determined, and stubborn. These qualities made her the independent, heroic, and strong-willed woman she was.
The lives of Anastasia and Dorotheos teach us that love conquers all. They endured hardships, persevered, and sacrificed for their family's welfare.
To our beloved Yiayia and mother,
Louis de Bernières once noted, "Love is a temporary madness..." reflecting on the deep, enduring nature of love beyond initial passion. Our connection with Anastasia was unbreakable, our bond unimaginable. We owe who we are to her, a legacy that remains indelible in our hearts.
Her passing has left a void in our lives but knowing she will reunite with Papou brings us peace. We vow to honor her memory, cherish every moment shared, and celebrate the woman she was.
"As one tree and not two," our roots are forever intertwined.
With love,
Natasha