Ollie Bell's Top Surgery

Hey, I'm Ollie and I'm raising money for my top surgery in Madrid, Spain. Due to the failures of the Irish National Gender Service, there are no opinions for top surgery (or any form of gender-affirming surgery), meaning I am forced to get top surgery aboard.

Between the outdated model of care the NGS provides and the long waiting lists (6+ years), many like me have to get gender-affirming care aboard and through more expensive means.

I came out as trans/nonbinary in 2015 and became involved in activism in 2016. I'm the founder of Trans & Intersex Pride Dublin but my activism isn't only trans-focused. I'm a socialist feminist and fight to end all forms of oppression and exploitation under capitalism.

I started low-dose testosterone therapy early 2022 after years of deliberation. I can't begin to describe how good of a decision that was. To be able to gain some control over my body and watch it develop in a way that feels right. I spent most of my childhood/adolescence completely detached from my body but HRT has even helped me be able to look at myself in the mirror. I know HRT and top surgery won't completely get rid of my gender dysphoria/body issues. We still live in a world obsessed with the gender binary and I know I will always be pushed into a gendered box no matter what. But top surgery will help alleviate some of the distress I feel in my body.

This surgery will be performed by Dr. Jesús Lago Oliver in November 2023. I had my first consultation with him on 6th September 2022.

NOTE: At the moment, the target for this fundraiser is to pay for my top surgery which costs €5,900, I rounded it up to 6000 due to GoFundMe taking a cut of the donations. This goal may increase as I need to stay over in Marid for 16 days after the surgery. But I will be as transparent as I can about where the money is going.