Louise Ashby

Louise’s first major challenge came at 16-years-old when her mother, Lynda, was diagnosed with Leukemia. Louise helped to care for her mother, witnessing her strength and courage. Sadly, Lynda passed away five years after the diagnosis.

Now 20 yeas of age, fortified by her mother’s example and encouraged by her own success as an actress and model in England, Louise took the plunge and moved to Los Angeles. There she was greeted by casting directors and agents who affirmed she had the looks and talent to become the next big thing.

It was only a month later that Louise faced her second major challenge as the victim of a severe auto accident. A retired physician, with night blindness, was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit Louise’s car head on. The impact was so severe that she had to be extracted from the car using Jaws of Life. The left side of Louise’s skull was crushed – her brain completely exposed – resulting in traumatic brain injury. Louis was left facially disfigured, blind in her left eye and without a sense of smell or taste. Ten years and 23 reconstructive brain and eye surgeries later (and with 200 metal bolts and places in her head), Louise was once again ready to be in front of the camera.

In 2002, Louise published her memoir, The Magic of the Mask to inspire others to get through their own life changing traumas. This experience had Louise appearing on television internationally to talk about facial disfigurement, trauma and loss, spreading a message of hope and strength. On the back of appearances on the shows Larry King Live, A Current Affair, The Tonight Show, 20/20, Montel Williams, local news stations and features in Time, Newsweek, People, Elle, Glamour, and Marie Claire, Louise was inundated with letters of praise from the public. The overwhelming positive response confirmed for Louise that there was value in her message. With her doctor, she founded the charity, Facing Forward, which to date raised money for reconstructive surgery and medical care for children who are born with facial deformities.

Today Louise shares her experiences and knowledge as a motivational and keynote speaker. She encourages others to pursue their dreams and attributes her recovery to staying positive and to using the law of attraction and visualization techniques. Louise has regular columns in AND Magazine and Coco Eco Magazine and has written for Elle, Marie Claire and Glamour. She works as a Life Architect guiding people to find their purpose and to create the blue print for the lives the desire. Louise is currently developing a radio program which will enable guests to share their experiences of overcoming life’s challenges and hurdles.