Thomas Romo III, MD, FACS, who leads facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, has received the 2025 American College of Surgeons (ACS)/Pfizer Domestic Surgical Volunteerism Award. The award recognizes surgeons in the United States who show outstanding commitment to volunteerism and work to improve access to surgical care through charitable service.
Dr. Romo has spent nearly 40 years advancing treatments for children with facial deformities. In 2002, he founded the Little Baby Face Foundation (LBFF), a nonprofit that brings children from the U.S. and other countries to New York City for free reconstructive surgery. Since its start, LBFF has helped more than 660 children from the U.S. and 22 other countries, performing close to 2,500 procedures.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Romo joined surgical missions in countries like India and Nicaragua. He saw that short-term care was not enough for children who needed ongoing treatment or multiple surgeries. This experience led him to create LBFF, which provides long-term care in a safe environment. Dr. Romo personally reviews each patient’s application, manages treatment plans, and performs the most complex surgeries, including those for microtia, hemifacial microsomia, and congenital vascular anomalies.
“Receiving this award is a tremendous honor and reflects not only my work but the dedication of the incredible teams at Northwell Health and the Little Baby Face Foundation,” said Dr. Romo. “Every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy and confident, and I hope this recognition inspires other surgeons to lend their expertise to those in need.”
Dr. Romo has also led efforts to improve access to care for uninsured and underinsured children, raised over $4.5 million to support LBFF patient services, and helped create housing partnerships so families traveling for treatment do not face financial hardship. He is the principal investigator of an FDA-approved clinical trial using 3D-printed ear implants, which may help expand access to reconstructive ear surgery worldwide.
