Community Support

Impacting Our Community

The Piazza Center is so grateful to be part of the Austin community. We love knowing that our support makes a difference for local organizations like the Breast Cancer Resource Center.

BCRC shared some statistics from January 1, 2022 – June 30, 2022 sharing how their services have impacted the community – thanks to the support of local businesses and members of the community.

We are so proud to be able to contribute to the great work they are doing!

The Piazza Center Supports Art Bra Austin 2022

The Piazza Center is proud to continue our support of Art Bra Austin for the 8^th year! This year’s theme is “Days of Haute.” The event will take place on May 20, 2022. Purchase tickets here.

The Art Bra annual fundraising project supports the Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC) to support women in the Austin area who are affected by breast cancer.

This is our 7th year sponsoring a bra created by Cindy Lopez, a local artist from Dripping Springs. We have featured many of Cindy’s bras in our office and other pieces of her work. We are proud to support her.

Breast cancer awareness is a cause that is very important to The Piazza Center team. We are so pleased to be able to support this important cause.

The Piazza Center is a Sponsor for2021 Black and White Ball Red Carpet

We are getting ready for the Texas Advocacy Project Black and White Ball.  The Piazza Center is the official Red Carpet Sponsor for the 15th Annual Fundraiser.

Texas Advocacy Project’s mission is to end dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Texas. Texas Advocacy Project empowers survivors through free legal services and access to the justice system, and advances prevention through public outreach and education. The Piazza Center is committed to advancing their vision that all Texans live free from abuse.

We love that this organization is actively working toward a day when all Texans live safely in hope, not fear.  This organization accomplishes this by creating confidence and empowering victims to have a voice. We firmly believe in a similar mission, empowering our patients to live confidently.

Austin Smiles returns to Centro Moore in Guatemala City

Austin Smiles is officially in its 35th year since it was started.  The history is rich compassion, kindness, and generosity.  Founded in 1987, Austin Smiles was created so that the plastic and reconstructive surgeon and their team members could use their skill set to change the lives of those without resources. The group focused primarily on Central Texas, and other countries such as El Salvador and Guatemala.  The medical mission one September 25, 2021 to Guatemala City is a groundbreaking because it is the first medical mission at Centro Moore since the pandemic related shutdown of 2020.  In a country where resources were limited pre-pandemic, the medical community is now beyond overwhelmed with the illnesses related to the pandemic.  Many of these children continue to wait 12 or more months for surgeries that should have taken place as early as 3 months old.

The Piazza Center remains an unwavering support of Austin Smiles. Dr. Rocco C. Piazza and Heather Fontenot, RN, LSA volunteered their time on this past week on the Guatemala City Medical Mission. Forty-six life changing surgical procedures were performed to repair cleft lip and palates this past week.  Many patients travelled over 4 hours to come to the city to be seen and evaluated by the medical volunteers.  There is something remarkably special about the people from Guatemala.  Their sincere gratitude inspires all of us to show appreciation to one another so that we, too, may create joy in the lives of others.

The Piazza Center Joins Local Plastic Surgery Practice to Support Austin Smiles

In August 2021, Dr. Rocco Piazza from The Piazza Center in Austin, TX provided his skills to treat children with cleft palates through Austin Smiles’ Month of Smiles.

This non-profit supports children and their families who cannot afford treatment to repair a cleft lip/ cleft palate in Central Texas and Latin America. We are so happy to continue to support such a worthy cause!

This effort is very special to our practice, and we are honored to be able to continue to support them!

Learn More on Instagram

Celebrating Art Bra Austin 2021

For the seventh year, The Piazza Center is proud to have sponsored a bra for Art Bra Austin! The Breast Cancer Resource Center hosts this annual fundraising event to support local women affected by breast cancer.

This year, we sponsored the Tree of Life art bra, created by Norma Jean Chapa and Crystal McGookey and modeled by Shauna Martin, a breast reconstruction patient of Dr. Piazza’s. The Tree of Life bra represents the resilience and strength of breast cancer survivors and the celebration of the springing forth of new life.

Breast cancer treatment and recovery is a cause that is very important to The Piazza Center team. We are so pleased to be able to support such an important cause.

The Piazza Center Contributes to Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas

The Piazza Center is a proud sponsor of Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas (BCRC). We donated $3,500 to this wonderful organization to support their outstanding efforts. Our donation was matched in-kind by other donors to enable the dollars to go even farther.

Here are some of the things BCRC has been able to accomplish this year thanks to the support of donors like The Piazza Center:

• Shifted to 1:1 and support circles to virtual platforms
• Offered multiple meetings and circle times to 9 pm to accommodate working women and women with children
• Launched first support circle and online forum for women of color, called Pink Table Talk
• Created a metastatic breast cancer support group for Spanish speakers
• Translated the Breast Cancer Companion into Spanish
• Launched a video resource library on the BCRC website and YouTube

In 2020, the referrals to BCRC are down, but the needs are greater due to COVID-19. More time is required for our navigators to provide resources for financial support as well as additional emotional support. Fewer women are getting their annual screening mammograms this year, which is reducing the number of referrals but increasing the likelihood of BCRC needing to serve women in later stages of breast cancer seeking treatment and support.

It’s because of needs like this that The Piazza Center is a generous supporter of BCRC and the lifesaving work they do.

The Piazza Center Supports Austin Smiles

The Piazza Center Contributes $3500 to Wish Upon A Smile for Austin Smiles in 2020.  We felt strongly that this contribution would help sustain this organization for the mission efforts planned in 2021 with trips to El Salvador in June 2021 and Guatemala in September 2021.   This organization is now celebrating its 35th Anniversary of performing life-changing procedures for children born with cleft lip and palate, which is an outstanding accomplishment.  Tune in on February 20th, 2021, for the online streaming premiere of Austin Smiles 35th Anniversary Documentary, ringing in our 35th year of Creating Smiles and Improving Lives! Featuring Austin Smiles friends, supporters, and success stories with a custom soundtrack recorded by The Brew.  More information can be found at http://www.austinsmiles.org

The Piazza Center Sponsors a Family in Need at Christmas

For the last two years, The Piazza Center has sponsored a family in need and provided Christmas for the family in the spirit of compassion and generosity at our Annual Gift Giving Lunch.  This year we sponsored a family with Texas Advocacy Project, our long-time Charity Partner.

Texas Advocacy Project is giving hope to families this holiday season through their annual Hope for the Holidays gift drive. 10 families have been nominated by staff attorneys who have aided in their transition from a home filled with violence to one of safety, through the free legal services the agency provides. The majority of these families are starting over in a new home, in a year that has already brought many financial worries including unemployment.  TAP relies on the generosity of our donors and volunteers to spread some cheer by shopping from the personal wish lists of each family.

June* and her five children, two 10 year-old-sons and three daughters ages 14, 13, and 8, is the family that The Piazza Center adopted this year.

During her marriage June endured years of physical abuse at the hands of her husband. Once she got the courage to leave, one of her daughters came forward with a horrible secret about her father sexually abusing her. June’s ex-husband was sentenced to five years in prison and was due to get out soon when she contacted Texas Advocacy Project. Our legal team helped her terminate the parental rights of the father to all of the children and secured an extension of her protective order to keep the family safe.

*Name has been changed to protect the survivor.

This year’s donors and volunteers assisted with the shopping and wrapping of over 600 presents and packing over 40 boxes for shipment!  Over 10,000 Texans this year are enjoying the holiday season in safety and peace, free from violence, with the help of TAP.  The Piazza Center is humbled by this experience and proud to support Texas Advocacy Project.

Sponsors of the 14th Annual Texas Advocacy Project’s Black and White Ball

Once again, The Piazza Center was proud to be a sponsor of the Texas Advocacy Project’s Black and White Ball. This event celebrates the survivors of abuse as well as those who have committed to ending personal violence. We support TAP’s 38 years of service to our community by providing free legal solutions to end power-based abuse in Texas. At The Piazza Center, we have a similar goal. We firmly believe in empowering all patients to live confidently. We are honored to be a sponsor of the 14^th Annual Black and White Ball, TAP’s largest fundraiser.

The Texas Society of Plastic Surgery Donation Effort

The Piazza Center in Austin is doing our part to keep Texas safe!

Last week Dr. Piazza teamed up with The Texas Society of Plastic Surgery and the Austin Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons to donate over 10,000 gloves, hundreds of masks, and surgical gowns to help keep doctors on the front lines safe.  Dr. Piazza and his team scoured their shelves to donate over 800 gloves and anti-viral wipes.

Our mission during this time is to keep our patients safe and to contribute to our global community in any way that we can. We are so proud to have an incredibly strong Team of Texas Doctors working together to keep Texas safe.

Thank you @synergyplasticsurgery and Gov. Gregg Abbott for heading up this operation.

Supporting Austin Smiles

The Piazza Center is proud to be a Pearl Sponsor for the 33^rd annual Wish Upon a Smile Gala! This annual event is presented by Austin Smiles to raise funds to support mission trips to Latin America to help children and their families who cannot afford treatment to repair a cleft lip/ cleft palate. This summer, Dr. Piazza traveled to Guatemala with three other Austin plastic surgeons who, together, performed 48 life-changing surgeries for children in need!

This cause is very special to our practice, and we are honored to be able to support such a worthy cause!

Proud Sponsors of the Texas Advocacy Project’s Black and White Ball

The Piazza Center is proud to be a sponsor of the Texas Advocacy Project’s 2019 Black and White Ball. We are proud to be able to support the Texas Advocacy Project as they help to bring about lasting change for fellow Texans via free legal services for victims of domestic violence and assault. We love that this organization is actively working toward a day when all Texans live safely in hope, not fear. They do this by creating confidence and empowering victims to have a voice. We firmly believe in a similar mission, empowering our patients to live confidently. We are honored to be the Red Carpet Sponsor and Swag Sponsor of the 13^th Annual Black and White Ball, TAP’s largest fundraiser.

Dr. Piazza Joins Austin Smiles in Guatemala to Improve Children’s Lives

Dr. Piazza, in partnership with Austin Smiles, traveled to Guatemala to help treat children with cleft palates and cleft lips. He joined his friends and fellow Austin plastic surgeons, Dr. Mahlon Kerr, Dr. Lauren Crawford, and Dr. Cameron Craven. Thanks to volunteers like these and donations from third-party donations, families obtain free health services or surgical care.

During this weeklong trip, 81 children were evaluated, and the doctors performed 48 successful operations on children in need!
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The great work that Austin Smiles does has been a lifelong passion for Dr. Piazza. ​”When I was 8 years old, I dreamed of being able to help children feel normal, be accepted, and have an opportunity to live without judgment. When I was 12 years old, I saw photographs of the life-changing work performed by Austin Smiles. That ignited the fire inside of me to become a plastic & reconstructive surgeon. From that moment, I committed to an 18-year educational journey to become that guy.”

These mission trips are life-changing not only for the patients we serve, but for the plastic surgeons and nurses who donate their time and skills to serve people in need. The Piazza Center is so grateful for the opportunity to partner with Austin Smiles to help touch and change so many lives.

Art Bra Austin 2019

For the fifth year in a row, The Piazza Center sponsored a bra for the Art Bra Austin! This annual event is presented by the Breast Cancer Resource Center to raise funds to support local women affected by breast cancer, a cause that is and will always be near and dear to our hearts. Once again, we partnered with Cindy Miller Lopez to create a special bra to honor the women who choose us as their partners for breast reconstruction after breast cancer.

Fifth Annual Cocktails & Curiosity Gala

Piazza Center for Plastic Surgery put on its fifth annual Cocktails & Curiosity Gala on May 10, raising funds for the Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC). At the scenic Headwaters Central in Dripping Springs, guests enjoyed refreshing cocktails, bites from Rocco’s Grill, and entertainment by jazz crooner Ken Slavin, along with more than $10,000 in raffle prizes.  The event generated $12,105 in donations for BCRC!

Dr. Piazza helps raise over $6,000 for the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas

On April 21, 2016, plastic surgeon, Rocco Piazza, M.D., of The Piazza Center, presented a check for $6,000 to the Breast Cancer Resource Centers (BCRC) of Texas. The funds were raised during his fundraising event, Cocktails & Curiosity. Pictured, left to right, are Phyllis Rose (Director of Volunteer Services, BCRC), Rocco Piazza, M.D., F.A.C.S. (Piazza Center for Plastic Surgery and Advanced Skin Care), and Ray Anne Evans (Executive Director, BCRC). Published in the Austin Business Journal, June 3rd, 2016.

_{Plastic surgeon Dr. Rocco Piazza of The Piazza Center presented a check for $6,000 to the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas. The funds were raised during his fundraising event, Cocktails & Curiosity.}

Miss Austin Texas Pageant

Dr. Piazza was honored to serve on the panel of judges for the Miss Austin Texas Pageant for 2014. The winner was Melissa Novak, and the Miss Teen Austin crown went to Savy Escobar. Dr. Piazza was thrilled to be a part of this fun event celebrating the inner and outer beauty of these hard-working young women.