When a young medical student named Andrew Jacono watched a girl with a cleft lip and palate gain acceptance among her peers after reconstructive surgery, the experience altered the course of his career. That moment planted the idea that skilled surgeons carry an obligation that extends beyond the operating room. Decades later, Dr. Andrew Jacono has built one of the most visible humanitarian surgical practices in the country.
A dual board-certified facial plastic surgeon based in New York, Dr. Andrew Jacono divides his professional life between a Park Avenue practice and pro bono work serving two very different populations: survivors of domestic violence in the United States and children born with facial deformities in developing countries. His body of humanitarian work is substantial by any measure.
Domestic Violence Recovery Through Surgery
Through the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery’s FACE TO FACE project, Dr. Andrew Jacono has performed facial reconstructions for more than 100 domestic violence survivors. He serves the program as a senior advisor, donating both time and surgical expertise to individuals whose faces carry visible evidence of abuse.
His work in this area gained a national platform through the 2011 television series Facing Trauma, which aired on Discovery Fit & Health and later on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The documentary series followed him through reconstructive procedures and the psychological journeys of patients rebuilding their lives after violence.
The Center for the Women of New York gave Dr. Jacono a “Good Guy” Award in 2006 for his advocacy and pro bono contributions. U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy formally recognized his efforts in the Congressional Record. For nine years, he also chaired ABOUT FACE: MAKING CHANGES, an annual fundraising benefit for domestic violence survivors.
Global Missions for Children
On the international front, Dr. Andrew Jacono has provided surgical care to more than 750 children across Colombia, Ecuador, Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries. Working with organizations such as Healing the Children, the HUGS Foundation, and THAI Children, he conducts approximately two missions per year. The conditions he treats include cleft lip and palate, microtia, facial tumors, and burn scarring.
Beyond surgical missions, Dr. Jacono has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Cotopaxi, and Mount Elbrus to raise both funds and awareness for his humanitarian causes. His academic roles at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and North Shore University Hospital further allow him to train the next generation of surgeons in the ethics and practice of humanitarian medicine. Visit this page, for related information.
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