Facing Up to It

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 clear: if she could face up to the cards she was dealt, anyone can.