Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation Presents: The Power Within

Featuring Victoria Arlen, ESPN host, Dancing with the Stars semi-finalist, Gold & Silver Medalist Swimmer and inspirational speaker who will share her story of rehabilitation at Santa Barbara event

Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation presents, “The Power Within,” an evening with Victoria Arlen, ESPN host, Dancing with the Stars semi-finalist, Gold and Silver Medalist Swimmer and inspirational speaker, on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. Hear Victoria’s inspiring story of recovery and rehabilitation. 

In 2005, Victoria was only 11 years old when she was diagnosed with two rare neurological disorders, Transverse Myelitis and Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis. In a persistent vegetative state for four years, Victoria was unable to communicate with those around her — sometimes suffering from seizures for more than 20 hours per day. After a decade-long rehabilitation, she regained the ability to walk again in 2016 after being paralyzed from the waist down.

Victoria has defied the odds, not only through recovery but has since become an accomplished motivational speaker, television host, philanthropist, writer and swimmer. Her swimming resume includes three silver and one gold medal from the London 2012 Paralympic Games as well as multiple World, American and Pan American records. In the spring of 2016 Victoria was a contestant on Season 25 of Dancing with the Stars placing in the top five.

Victoria founded and is Co-Chair of Victoria's Victory Foundation (VVF), a nonprofit that assists those with mobility related disabilities. Since 2017, VVF provided over half a million dollars in scholarship funds to those who need it most.