For more than a decade, Dr. Andrew Jacono has offered free reconstructive surgery to people whose faces carry the physical marks of domestic violence. Through the FACE TO FACE project, run by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, he has performed procedures for more than 100 survivors, donating both his time and surgical skill to patients who could otherwise never afford such specialized care.
Dr. Andrew Jacono serves as senior advisor to the program, which connects survivors with volunteer surgeons willing to repair injuries that insurance often will not cover. Facial scarring from abuse tends to linger as a visible reminder of trauma long after physical wounds close, complicating job interviews, personal relationships, and a survivor’s own sense of identity.
Recognition Beyond the Operating Room
The work has drawn formal recognition over the years. The Center for the Women of New York honored him with a “Good Guy” Award in 2006 for his advocacy and pro bono contributions. U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy commended him in the Congressional Record for his contributions to women’s welfare through surgery and charitable service. For nine years, he chaired ABOUT FACE: MAKING CHANGES, an annual benefit supporting survivors of domestic violence throughout the region.
Television Brought the Work to a Wider Audience
His efforts gained national visibility through Facing Trauma, a documentary series that aired on Discovery Fit & Health in 2011 before moving to the Oprah Winfrey Network. Cameras followed Dr. Andrew Jacono as he performed reconstructive procedures for victims of domestic violence and other traumatic injuries, pairing the technical detail of each surgery with the emotional journey of survivors reclaiming their identities.
The series highlighted an intersection of medicine and social justice that rarely receives sustained media attention. Facial disfigurement from abuse can block employment opportunities and prevent survivors from moving forward psychologically long after the physical injuries themselves have healed. Reconstructive surgery, in cases like these, offers a path toward erasing those visible markers. Refer to this article for additional information.
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