Victoria Cuore, founder of A Contagious Smile, has been honored with the Lifetime Humanitarian Award for Global Advocacy in Domestic Violence Reform and Special Needs Family Empowerment, recognizing nearly two decades of groundbreaking work supporting survivors and families worldwide.
The award acknowledges Cuore’s extraordinary journey from domestic violence survivor to becoming one of the most globally respected voices in trauma recovery and special needs family advocacy. During her pregnancy, Cuore endured life-threatening domestic violence that resulted in over 100 surgeries, including multiple spinal surgeries and two jaw replacements. Rather than allowing these experiences to define her limitations, she transformed her pain into a movement of purpose.
For over 19 years, A Contagious Smile has provided unwavering support, advocacy, and resources for domestic violence survivors, special needs families, and individuals navigating trauma and recovery. The organization has evolved into a globally respected, trauma-informed platform that reaches survivors and families across multiple continents.
In 2025, Cuore launched the revolutionary A Contagious Smile Academy, marking a significant milestone in survivor-led education. The Academy represents the first and only survivor-led, trauma-informed educational platform of its kind, offering over 100 free and low-cost courses covering everything from IEP advocacy and trauma recovery to parenting medically complex children, digital safety, and legal tools for survivors.
What distinguishes the trauma-informed educational platform from traditional programs is that every course emerges from lived experience rather than clinical theory alone. Cuore’s approach reflects her belief that authentic healing requires guidance from those who have walked similar paths.
The Academy operates through full funding from Victoria, her husband Michael, and generous donors, enabling them to offer scholarships ensuring no one faces financial barriers to accessing these resources. Her courses are now utilized in legal cases, IEP meetings, therapy rooms, hospitals, and courtrooms across the country, teaching parents how to advocate effectively while helping survivors rebuild confidence in their own voices.
Cuore also serves as a licensed amputee coalition counselor and three-time global award recipient. She hosts multiple globally ranked podcasts, conducting interviews with trauma experts, veterans, Olympians, and survivors to demonstrate that healing remains possible and no one faces their struggles alone.
Both Victoria and her daughter live with permanent special needs resulting from the trauma they endured, a reality they have rebuilt through love, determination, and unwavering resolve. Their personal experience informs every aspect of the organization’s work, ensuring that support comes from genuine understanding rather than theoretical knowledge.
The recognition reflects Cuore’s commitment to creating the support system she never had access to during her darkest moments. When asked about her motivation for continuing this work, she explains her driving force simply: “Because someone didn’t make it. And because I almost didn’t. So now I build what should’ve been there. And I make damn sure it’s there for the next person.”
Cuore’s leadership style combines grit, compassion, humor, and unflinching honesty. She represents the advocate who responds to messages at 2 a.m., the survivor who assures others they’re allowed to fall apart while promising to help them rebuild together.
The domestic violence survivor support organization continues expanding its reach through multiple channels, including podcasts that consistently rank among the top survivor-led shows globally. These platforms feature powerful interviews designed to inspire healing, strength, and connection among listeners worldwide.
Rather than focusing on awards or titles, Cuore describes her mission in direct terms: “I became the voice I once needed. I built the safety I never had. And I will never stop — until every survivor, every child, and every family knows… they matter.”
The Lifetime Humanitarian Award recognizes not only Cuore’s individual achievements but also the broader impact of A Contagious Smile in redefining survivor support as accessible, honest, empowering, and rooted in authentic experience. Through her work, she has created what she describes as “more than education” — representing instead “a revolution in healing” that continues reaching survivors and families who need to know they are not alone in their journey toward recovery and empowerment.
