All of us at The Piazza Center love giving back to our community. But our commitment to giving also goes global and beyond our own backyard.

Dr. Marcelo Antunes, our double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, recently returned from a mission trip to Antigua, Guatemala.

He travels to both countries each year to help treat children affected by cleft lip or palate and microtia (a birth defect that causes an underdeveloped ear). Accompanying Dr. Antunes were several other surgeons from Harvard, the University of Michigan, and NYU who have all traveled with him to the same clinic for the past decade. Together, they treat new pediatric patients and also follow-up with others, who they’ve cared for previously.

Dr. Antunes participated on this mission trip via two separate organizations: Medical Missions for Children, and HUGS – Help Us Give Smiles.

“I am honored and humbled to work with both of these amazing groups on behalf of such deserving children,” said Dr. Antunes. “My fellow surgeons and I are strongly united in our dedication to instilling confidence in them so they may lead productive and fulfilling lives.”

 During this most recent trip, Dr. Antunes and his team completed nearly 60 procedures in just one week. Dr. Antunes has also visited Ecuador, the Philippines, Vietnam, Peru, and Guatemala for similar philanthropic work.

Medical Missions for Children and HUGS both help facilitate the surgical repair of cleft lip and palate deformities, burn injuries, microtia, facial injuries, and head/neck tumors.

If you’d like more information on how to donate to HUGS, click here.

Marcelo Antunes, M.D. is an award-winning, fellowship-trained, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon with The Piazza Center.