Help Us Give Smiles (HUGS), a medical mission-based nonprofit, has been providing free facial surgeries to children born with facial deformities since 2003. This year, in addition to donating their time and surgical expertise, Drs. Lieberman and Parikh, founders of L&P Aesthetics, are hoping to raise $50,000 to support this life-changing organization. Here are the ways you can join us in this West Coast HUGS fundraiser:
Everyone who donates $1000 or more to HUGS, either through the purchase of a silent auction item or through a direct donation or sponsorship, will be invited to The Celebration of Smiles mini-gala on October 3, 2025. For more information on the donations or the mini-gala, please email [email protected]
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN): 58-2673458
HUGS Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations of cash and supplies are tax-exempt to the fullest extent of the law.
“HUGS is a special organization that is totally devoted to making a positive change in these children’s lives. It is truly a privilege to be a part of the HUGS team and to play a role in these transformations.” – Dr. David Lieberman
Help Us Give Smiles is a medical mission-based nonprofit founded by Dr. Vito Quatela, Dr. Lieberman’s fellowship director. Since 2003, surgeons from around the country have embarked on annual trips to Ecuador, Guatemala, and Vietnam, where they perform surgeries on patients born with congenital facial deformities.
For Drs. Lieberman, Parikh, along with their surgical fellow, their trips to Guatemala are filled with microtia repairs. Microtia is a congenital condition in which the ear is underdeveloped, to varying degrees. Some patients are born with minor deformities, but still have full hearing, while others suffer more prominent hearing loss and smaller outer ears. The physical and cultural challenges this facial deformity presents can be devastating for the child and his or her family. The surgery not only enables one to have an enhancement in their appearance and function, but now they are afforded opportunities they would not have otherwise, such as assimilation into a family, a chance for a better education, and a hope for a new life.
On average, the cost to perform a successful mission is $40,000.00 – $60,000.00, excluding the fees of world-class surgeons, surgical technicians, nurses and other medical volunteers who all donate their time. The cost of a mission varies by location but always includes travel, equipment, medicine, and all necessary surgical supplies.
The surgeries are performed at no cost to the children and their families. Most children in these countries do not have medical insurance. Our missions would not be possible without the support of our generous donors and medical teams who donate their time and expertise.
In the US, surgery for microtia can cost an average of $40,000. For the same amount, HUGS surgeons, including Drs. L&P, can perform surgeries for nearly 60 children in Guatemala, changing their lives. These patients are often seen by the doctors year after year, getting check-ups on their previous surgery and making any necessary adjustments, creating lasting relationships with patients and their families.
Your donation to the West Coast Celebration of HUGS will go directly to the HUGS organization which sends over 90% of each donation directly towards children receiving facial surgery.
The administrative overhead of HUGS is significantly lower than most nonprofits for two distinct reasons. HUGS only has one full-time employee and two per diem employees to operate the entire nonprofit and coordinate multiple missions each year. All other members work in a volunteer capacity. Additionally, HUGS Founder, Dr. Vito Quatela, donates the office space and the storage space for supplies, which allows donations to be allocated directly towards the mission of providing free surgery.
One donation can go a long way in providing children with the healthcare and opportunities they deserve
To learn more about HUGS and the important work that they do worldwide, please visit the HUGS website or
They have made philanthropic efforts a cornerstone of their careers. Whether working abroad through international outreach organizations, or locally through community groups, both doctors make these efforts a priority.
Doctors Lieberman and Parikh are active participants in international medical mission work, helping teams of health care professionals treat children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip, cleft palate and ear malformations. They have seen firsthand that not only will these operations repair a deformity, but they will help each child feel normal again, restoring their confidence and preventing alienation by their community. For most of these children, this is not just a correction of a cosmetic deformity but an opportunity for an education, for acceptance into their family. It is really a second chance for leading a productive and happy life.
As a medical student, Dr. Parikh founded FSUCares, an organization that provides care for the underserved domestically and abroad. He was awarded the Robin McDougal Award for increasing access to medical care and the Florida Medical Association recognized him with the Sanford A. Mullen award for outstanding community service. He has been a volunteer surgeon for HEALING THE CHILDREN, traveling internationally to perform operations on children with cleft lips and cleft palates. Dr. Parikh has performed humanitarian medical missions in Colombia, Jamaica, Honduras and Panama. Dr. Parikh was also part of the surgical team which featured his mentor Dr. Andrew Jacono on the Discovery Fit & Health and Oprah Winfrey Network’s reality television show Facing Trauma, a series that followed the life-changing stories of women with facial disfigurements as a result of trauma or domestic violence.
Humanitarian work is essential to Dr. Lieberman’s surgical and clinical career. He has travelled abroad to Ecuador, Vietnam, Guatemala and Cuba as part of these efforts. He performs ear reconstruction for children born without an ear (microtia repair) as a surgeon in the HUGS organization (Help Us Give Smiles). Dr. Lieberman has been featured on local and national radio (Dr. Lieberman’s Interview) speaking on behalf of this organization and is honored to continue this work.
Both Doctors Lieberman and Parikh continue to make local humanitarian work an integral part of their mission. By partnering with local groups and Face to Face, a national program, both doctors offer services pro bono to victims of domestic abuse.
