The range of conditions Dr. Andrew Jacono addresses on his international surgical missions spans some of the most physically and socially disruptive facial differences a child can face. Cleft lip and palate, microtia, facial tumors, and burn scars each require distinct surgical approaches, and each carries consequences that extend well beyond appearance alone.
Cleft lip and palate, among the most common conditions he treats, can interfere with a child’s ability to eat and speak clearly, in addition to the visible facial difference. Microtia, involving underdeveloped or missing external ears, can affect hearing as well as appearance. Burn scars, often the result of accidents involving open flames or hot liquids common in the regions Dr. Andrew Jacono visits, can restrict movement and cause chronic discomfort on top of visible disfigurement.
Function and Belonging, Addressed Together
His approach treats these as inseparable problems. Correcting a cleft palate restores a child’s ability to eat and speak normally while also removing a visible marker that can lead to social exclusion. In many of the communities he visits through organizations such as Healing the Children and the HUGS Foundation, a cleft lip alone can prevent a child from attending school, regardless of the family’s resources or the child’s own academic ability.
Two Trips a Year, Steady Impact
He typically conducts two missions annually, traveling to countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Thailand, and Vietnam. Across these trips, Dr. Andrew Jacono has provided care to more than 750 children, working alongside fellow surgeons he brings along to extend the reach of each visit. The consistency of the schedule, rather than a single high-profile trip, has allowed the missions to build lasting relationships with local partner organizations and reach children who would otherwise have no access to this kind of specialized surgical correction close to home. Families often travel long distances to reach the clinics where these missions take place, arriving with children who have lived for years with conditions that a routine outpatient procedure could correct in countries with more medical infrastructure. See related link for additional information.
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