Dr. Michael Diaz spends most days doing plastic and reconstructive surgery at his Melbourne practice, but on Saturday, June 2, Diaz traded the scalpel for dancing shoes to help raise funds for KLD Youth Foundation during “Dancing with Brevard.”
Since 2002, KLD Youth Foundation has provided after-school services to some of Brevard’s most at-risk children. Its major fundraiser, “Dancing with Brevard,” enables the nonprofit to help children who are struggling under learning disabilities, severe medical issues and emotional trauma.
Diaz is so impressed with the organization that he committed to raising more than $10,000 for the event, which was held at Rosen Shingle Creek Resort and Golf Center in Orlando because no Space Coast ballroom was large enough to for the more than 1,000 guests who attended.
The plastic surgeon was paired with nationally acclaimed professional dancer and dance instructor Danielle Wilson, who taught Diaz a tango routine to wow the judges, including Tony Dovolani, a regular in the hit television show “Dancing with the Stars.”
“I dance because I believe in KLD’s vision and positive impact on youth in Brevard County,” said Diaz.
“I have dedicated myself to rehearsing and executing an entertaining tango routine as well as raising funds for this worthy cause.”
Practicing wasn’t easy, since Wilson lives in West Palm Beach and travels throughout the county for dance competitions.
“She would travel to Melbourne or I would travel down to West Palm,” said Diaz.
Diaz admits that although his heritage is Cuban, he does not come by his dance abilities naturally and has depended on Wilson for guidance to compete against the other 14 dancing couples.
“She is an amazing dancer and teacher,” he said.
“If she can make me look good, she can make anybody look good.”
His true skill lies in plastic surgery, which he practices at his Diaz Center for Plastic Surgery in Melbourne. A board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 10 years of experience in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, Diaz serves patients from Vero Beach to Orlando with both med spa services, as well as advanced surgical specialization of the breasts and body.
The CBS Morning Show interviewed the physician about his skills using the Strattice Internal Bra, a bio-engineered regenerative tissue matrix that acts as an internal bra to hold breast implants in the desired location for long-term, natural-looking results. Diaz is the first surgeon in Brevard County to offer this advanced surgery solution.
Diaz received his medical training at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami and post-doctoral training in general surgery at the University of Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital. His surgery residency was at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. As chief resident at Lennox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, Diaz gained experience from some of New York City’s top plastic surgeons.
In addition to his “Dancing with Brevard” fundraising, Diaz donates a percentage from cosmetic consultation fees to provide four local area charities that assist women and children. He has participated in the University of Massachusetts Hospital’s CHANGE program, a medical mission program that performs surgeries for the poor of Ecuador. He also led Project Peru, a plastic and reconstructive medical mission that performed charity surgery in Cusco. Diaz has also volunteered his surgery services to Brevard Health Alliance.
Diaz Center for Plastic Surgery is located at 304 S. Harbor City Blvd., Suite 101, Melbourne. For more information, call 
321-951-2639 or visit diazplasticsurgery.com.
By Maria Sonnenberg
For Al Día Today