Hello, everyone. My name is Zave, I am 25 years old and a trans man from Dorset in England.

Gender dysphoria is something I have been trying to navigate for the majority of my life. I started testosterone in February 2024 which has helped alleviate it so much, but I’m still living with agonising dysphoria daily and I’m not being dramatic when I tell you that the only thing that will help this is top surgery.

I was born with Cerebral Palsy, leaving me completely reliant on a wheelchair and, therefore, carers. I also deal with daily spasms, chronic pain, and fatigue, which means having top surgery is a lot more complicated for me. Not only do I have to pay for the surgery itself, and the consultations, but I also have to fund the accessible transport and accommodation, and extra care during recovery. All in all, this takes my total up to £20,000. As you can imagine, this is not something I can afford on my own.

If I could fund this surgery without asking for help, I would do it in a heartbeat. Lovely people on the internet have been so generous to me, allowing me to secure a referral for top surgery with Ms. Catherine Milroy, during my fundraising journey. But, as you can imagine, it has also opened me up to a lot of transphobia. It seems people really don’t understand the importance of gender affirming care…

My dysphoria is crippling. It is at the forefront of my mind all day, every day; it dictates my life. It makes me want to claw my skin off, or worse. Yet, I have been told that being trans is a choice, that gender affirming care is “mutation” and “self-harm”. I have been called mentally ill and attention seeking. I have been called a beg. A scrounge. A freeloader. Every name you can imagine, I have had it since I started my fundraising journey nearly two years ago. But I am still here, writing this, because I am truly desperate.

Top surgery, although complicated in my situation, will truly change my life for the better. It will allow me to live freely, as myself. It will allow me to look at myself without wincing, it will allow me to breathe.

Finally.

After all this time.

This is a video taken from the 4th August 2025; the day of my referral for top surgery. As you can see, Lauran and I were over the moon by the outcome.

I went through Popelyuk Adult Psychiatry (The Gender Clinic) and honestly I cannot recommend them enough. The psychiatrist was kind, patient, completely non judgemental throughout, and made me feel truly seen.

At the end of the appointment she said she would be putting my referral through because “now is the right time” and she could see that getting top surgery will “make a positive impact on my life”. She also confirmed my gender dysphoria diagnosis, and that it has been present since I was a child.

I want to thank everyone who has donated to my fundraiser so far. I truly could not have reached this point without your support. And to anyone who has even read this far, and is considering donating: thank you, thank you, thank you!