Help me find joy and freedom in this life by supporting my top surgery!

For those who might not know me, my name is Cassian. I’ve identified as trans for 10 years, been on testosterone for 2 years, and am finally pursuing top surgery.

How will this help me?

For many trans folks, myself included, gender affirming care is a medical necessity. I feel suffocated by my own body, it is something I am constantly aware of that I feel holds me back from being my most authentic self. It is nauseating and painful (physically and emotionally) to look at myself, dress myself, go out into the world every day feeling like a stranger in my own skin. Every day since starting testosterone I’ve felt that internal discord get a little less loud, these days I’m a lot closer to seeing who I truly am in the mirror. Top surgery is a final step to feeling free in my own body! All that anger and pain and anxiety and sadness, a physical weight off of me.

Why is my goal so high?

Medical care in the US, even with insurance, is incredibly expensive. A surgery like this, without insurance, is ~$100,000. I’m very lucky to have insurance but this figure I’m raising for does not even cover the cost of the procedure, the surgeons fee, and the anesthesiologist fee. $6000 comes from the cost of travel, getting a hotel to recover in near the hospital, groceries, medical supplies, the wages I’ll lose from being out of work for a month and a half, the wages my partner will lose for being out of work for a week and a half (which is necessary assistance I will need immediately post-op), and other smaller assorted fees that pop up while recovering from a major surgery.

I will be getting short term disability pay, however that is only a percentage of my typical pay, and takes a long time to process before being sent to me. Anything I can save will be put towards the other fees I listed regarding the actual procedure. To be transparent, I did not grow up in a wealthy household. There have been many times in my childhood I had to depend on the kindness of others and the incredible strength of my mother (and all those who loved and supported her however they could) to put food on the table and to have a roof over my head. Because of this, my immediate family cannot provide a lot for me financially. I’m incredibly grateful for their emotional support through my transition and am reaching out to ask for help from my extended family, my friends, and my community.

I am so lucky to be where I am now, to have this opportunity at all, thank you for reading what I have to say. I appreciate your support, please share if you can!