Facing Up to It: One Woman's Transformational Journey from Craving Acceptance to Accepting Herself.

by Dawn Shaw, Debra Ginsberg (Editor)

Think bullies were mean to you? Imagine what it would have been like if you had a "different" face. When Dawn has a fast-growing tumor removed shortly after birth, it not only reshapes the left half of her face, leaving it deconstructed and paralyzed; it reshapes her entire life. Her journey of self-discovery and acceptance involves the physical, the emotional and the spiritual. Teased, mocked and bullied throughout her childhood and tortured by a co-dependent relationship as a young adult, Facing Up to It is a story familiar to many, but Dawn Shaw faced it all with permanent facial paralyses and years of painful reconstructive surgeries. Looking at Dawn, it's easy to imagine a life of isolation and despair, but in this triumphant memoir, Dawn Shaw chronicles her journey to self-acceptance, finding love and wholeness. The message is if she could face up to the cards she was dealt, anyone can.

358 pages, Paperback

Published January 31, 2017

About the author

When I was born I could barely breathe. A fast-growing tumor, called a teratoma, was interfering with my wind pipe, and I was rushed off for an immediate tracheostomy. The eventual complete removal of the teratoma permanently altered the left side of my face, leaving me with misaligned jaws, hearing loss and paralysis. Growing up not looking quite “normal” changes the way the world looks at me, which in turn affects my view of the world. However, I learned how to turn a potential liability into an asset, and most importantly, I don’t let what some would consider a deformity stop me from living. I am also an inspirational speaker, helping to dispel fear and ignorance by encouraging knowledge and understanding of people with physical differences so that we can become more accepted in society. I currently live near Belfair, WA with my husband Ian, three cats, two dogs, and a varying number of Icelandic horses.