Dr. Andrew Jacono Brings Facial Surgery to 750 Children
Dr. Andrew Jacono Brings Facial Surgery to 750 Children
Children in Colombia, Ecuador, Thailand, and Vietnam share something with patients on Park Avenue: they have been treated by the same surgeon. Dr. Andrew Jacono, a dual board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York, has provided surgical care to more than 750 children in developing regions.
He leads these missions alongside groups such as Healing the Children, the HUGS (Help Us Give Smiles) Foundation, and THAI Children. Most years he completes two trips.
Conditions That Shape a Childhood
The cases vary. Some children have cleft lip and palate. Others have microtia, a deformity of the ear. Still others need treatment for facial tumors or burn scars.
These conditions can cause practical problems, including trouble eating and breathing. They also bring heavy social stigma in many communities. A child with a visible cleft may be kept out of school or excluded from community life. Surgery addresses the physical problem and lowers the barrier that keeps the child apart from others.
Families in these regions often have no way to pay for specialized reconstructive care, and in many places that care is simply out of reach. Without a mission team, a child could live an entire life with an untreated deformity.
A Team Effort
Dr. Andrew Jacono rarely travels alone. He typically brings fellow surgeons, and family members sometimes join him as well. The missions require funding for travel and logistics, and he has raised money in an unusual way: by climbing mountains. His ascents of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Cotopaxi in Ecuador, and Mount Elbrus in Russia were part of campaigns to support children needing surgery and survivors of domestic violence.
His interest in this work goes back to medical school. He watched a girl who had been isolated on her school bus because of a cleft lip and palate gain acceptance after reconstructive surgery. That experience showed him how much a single operation can change.
More than 750 children later, Dr. Andrew Jacono continues to treat patients whose families could not otherwise reach that kind of care. Refer to this article for related information.
Watch for more information about Dr. Andrew Jacono on https://www.youtube.com/c/drandrewjacono