Levi's Top Surgery
Hi, my name is Levi and I'm a transgender man living in Edmonton, Alberta. I have been on hormone replacement therapy since February of 2019, and the next step I want to take in my medical transition is getting a double mastectomy designed to masculinize my chest, also more commonly known as top surgery. Here's where it gets tricky.
In Alberta, costs of top surgery can be covered by the provincial government, however this is a lengthy process due to long wait lists - essentially, I have to wait to get the approval of ONE specific psychiatrist, whose wait list is years long, after which I will have to wait another 2-3 years to get a surgery date. Additionally, the UCP leadership currently in power has made major cuts to provincial healthcare, and I do not know if this procedure will continue to be covered by the provincial government.
My chest causes me a lot of physical and mental distress - I work full time, and any time I am out in public, I do not feel comfortable unless I am binding my chest, and even then because my chest is large, binding does not make it look completely flat. Additionally, even with a loose fitting binder, this puts a lot of strain on my ribs, shoulders, and back. Binders are only recommended to wear 8 hours a day - meaning if I am out of the house for longer than that, I am adding even more to that pain. For me, I can't imagine doing this for another 5 or more years, so I began to research other options to pay for my surgery out of pocket.
In Canada, there is only one clinic for top surgery that will take patients based on informed consent - meaning I do not need a referral and I will be paying the full cost myself. This clinic is in Mississauga, and they specialize in this procedure.
On my own, I have raised approximately $6000 to put toward the costs of surgery, travel, and accommodations in Mississauga, but the total cost is around $11000. Here's a cost breakdown:
Surgery: $8500.00
Sales tax: $1100.00
Flights: $600.00
Accommodations: $900.00 - I have to stay in Mississauga for a week after surgery before I can fly home to Edmonton.
If I meet my goal, any other funds raised will go to any emergency expenses or toward the cost of living while I am healing from surgery, and I am still continuing to save on my own as well. If I do not meet my goal before my (TBA) surgery date, any other costs will have to be covered by a loan, so I want to make any potential loans as small as possible!
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you will consider donating or even just sharing my fundraiser! It means the world to me, and I know this surgery will be truly life changing. I've been thinking about it for over 10 years, and I know now is the time.
