Alex is an incredibly wonderful human being who has been wanting top surgery since before they knew that top surgery existed! This past year, Alex was finally able to get connected with a reputable surgeon in San Diego and they had their initial consultation appointment in December 2025. The appointment went great, their labs and test results were good to go, and their medical necessity letter was accepted. Alex left the appointment beaming and full of excitement. Within a few weeks, their insurance would approve the procedure and they could move forward with selecting a surgery date.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

In January 2026, Alex's insurance provider stopped covering any and all gender-affirming care. Even though they had already had their consultation appointment and were in the process of scheduling the surgery, their insurance refused to cover this medically-necessary procedure. It was devastating news. Despite all of the protections that LGBTQIA+ folks are able to count on here in California, these protections are only provided at the state level. Because Alex is a federal employee and they are covered under a federal insurance plan, their only option is to pay for top surgery out-of-pocket. They have been fortunate enough to receive a discounted out-of-pocket rate from their surgeon; however, at $9,000, the cost is still prohibitive. Although Alex and I both have some money saved up that we can put towards surgery costs, we won't be able to able to make this happen without help from our loved ones.

Alex's surgery is scheduled for August 2026, and we are hoping to raise as much money as we can before then. There is absolutely no expectation or obligation for you to donate, though any amount you're able to give will make a difference! If you aren't able to show up for Alex in this way, don't worry - there will be other opportunities to support them during their recovery instead (e.g. visits, meals, get well cards, etc.). This surgery is so important for Alex, and anything you're able to contribute will help to take some weight off of them...literally.

***PLEASE NOTE: Our preferred donation method is Venmo (@hschmiz, last four phone digits are 7089 if needed) because we aren't charged a transaction fee. We are charged a small transaction fee for all donations made through GoFundMe, though we are still happy to accept GoFundMe donations. We also accept Zelle, CashApp, or cash/check donations - please reach out to me or Alex directly for assistance with any of these donation methods. I will periodically update the total donation amount Alex has received on this page in order to include donations received outside of GoFundMe.***

Please feel free to share this with anyone else who might be willing to donate. Thank you so much for being a part of Alex's support system - we are so grateful for each and every one of you!!!