FFS, Dani needs Facial Feminisation Surgery

Hiya! I'm Dani and I'm a 29 year-old transfeminine person living in Bristol, UK. I made this fundraiser on my 26th birthday because I decided that I couldn't afford to wait any longer if I wanted to have a chance at being happy in my body before I got to 30. With surgery costs rising faster each year than I could save due to inflation, I realised that only with community support that I'm going to be able to do this.

I socially transitioned 11 years ago, have been on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) since 2016, and throughout 2017 and 2018 had a course of laser hair removal on the NHS — all of which has left me much happier with my body and how I am perceived by others than I previously had been. However, one thing that is not covered by the NHS, and also is one of the most expensive sets of procedures to get privately, is facial feminisation surgery (FFS). This is what I am asking for help with.

On average there are significant differences between men's and women's faces, and the face is one of the first things that informs anyone's perception of someone. This has long been an issue for me, but the lockdown period even further intensified the effect on my mental health of being confronted with my own face every day, and since then I have very much been at crisis point and more sure than ever that I need to take this next step in order to be able to step forward comfortably as myself. I had two consultations with surgeons, and as a result the particular surgical procedures that I am saving towards are a brow shave and forehead reconstruction, a rhinoplasty (nose surgery), and a sliding genioplasty (chin surgery). The combined effect of these procedures would be to give my face a more feminine appearance, which would not only greatly improve my self-esteem and mental wellbeing, but also make it much safer for me to exist in the world.

I have been saving for the past 8 years in jobs in childcare and trade union organising (and more recently selling out and working in the corporate charity sector to push things forward more quickly), but despite that I am still not yet at the total of £40,000 that I need to pay for this life-changing surgery.

As of autumn 2024, thanks in no small part to community donations over the years, I've been able to pay a deposit and secure a date in April 2025 for the surgery to go ahead. I now only have a tiny proportion (just over £2500) left to get together in these last couple of months, to pay off the final total before the surgery date and be able to finally reach this milestone after all these years. Time is tight, but I fully believe this is possible – I'm so close now. The value of any money that you can donate towards this final stretch is huge to me.

Thank you,

Dani