“The skills I’ve developed over 16+ years of surgical training and practice exist because of tremendous investment — in education, in mentorship, in resources. I believe those skills carry a moral obligation to help those in need. My work through The Dr. Carl Truesdale Foundation is some of the most meaningful work I do.”
Surgery as service
Reconstructive facial surgery changes lives in ways that go far beyond the aesthetic. Dr. Truesdale reserves a portion of his schedule for reduced-cost or pro bono reconstructive procedures for patients who would otherwise not have access to surgical care. He has also participated in a Medical Mission Trip to Ghana, and regularly mentors the next generation of doctors and surgeons.
Areas of humanitarian focus
Medical Missions
Dr. Truesdale has participated in a medical mission to Ghana where he performed life-changing surgery and trained doctors and surgeons in this underserved community on how to do facial plastic and reconstructive cases.
Reconstructive Surgery
Reserved surgical schedule for patients requiring reconstructive procedures who lack access through conventional means — including post-trauma scar revision, burn care, and congenital facial differences.
Surgical Training
Dr. Truesdale participates in training for surgical residents, medical students, and practicing physicians. He is also a frequent mentor to the next generation of medical practitioners.
An $80,000 surgery. Performed pro bono.
When Juanita Jimenez — a 22-year-old Lehman College senior and primary care assistant at Kings County Hospital — was the victim of an unprovoked sulfuric acid attack on her Brooklyn subway commute in 2022, Dr. Truesdale answered her TikTok message personally and offered to perform her reconstructive surgery at no cost.
Rebuilding a face. Restoring a future.
The sulfuric acid caused second- and third-degree burns that fused Juanita’s nose and lip into a single keloid mass, permanently disfiguring her appearance and confining her to her home. She had already seen multiple surgeons when she reached out to Dr. Truesdale on TikTok — expecting only a second opinion.
Her story struck a chord. Dr. Truesdale offered to perform what would have been an approximately $80,000 reconstructive surgery entirely pro bono. In January 2024, Juanita flew to Beverly Hills for the first of two staged operations — a four-hour deep-plane cervicofacial rotation-advancement flap using healthy skin and muscle from her neck to rebuild her nose and lip as separate anatomical units.
Eighteen months later, Juanita has finished college and is applying to medical school — with plans to one day work alongside the surgeons who restored her.
Apply to The Dr. Carl Truesdale Foundation
The Dr. Carl Truesdale Foundation is the pro bono surgery program of Truesdale Facial Plastic Surgery. Through it, Dr. Truesdale offers corrective surgical procedures to selected individuals in need. Surgical fees are waived partially or in full for selected applicants whose lives would be positively impacted by reconstructive surgery.
Those who wish to be considered — and to share their story — are encouraged to submit the following:
Your name, age, and location.
Recent, high-resolution, well-lit photos of your face: front, right side, left side, and 3/4 view.
A brief description (under 500 words) that explains:
- The condition you wish to correct
- How it occurred and how it has affected your life
- How corrective surgery could change things
Email your submission to Foundation@doctortruesdale.com. Submissions are reviewed by Dr. Truesdale and our team to determine which candidates are selected.
If your application aligns with our mission and selection criteria, we will reach out to you directly about next steps — which may include a virtual or in-person consultation with Dr. Truesdale.
Email Your Application