Help Toviyah get Top Surgery!

Toviyah is 28 and has been on T for almost 5 years now. Top surgery is the next step in his transition, and has become unavoidably necessary for his mental health. The dysphoria that Tovi deals with on a daily basis impacts his quality of life immensely; taking a huge toll on his self esteem and confidence, making it feel nearly impossible to leave the house most days, and creating feelings of intense desperation when he is confronted with his own body. He experiences near constant back pain due to his chest size, the act of binding for 8 hours a day whenever he is out of the house, and the posture he has subconsciously adapted to hide his chest in public.

Why does Tovi need help? Despite the clear need for him to have top surgery, the path to surgery has always felt like an impossible mountain to summit, primarily because of the combined challenged of the financial burden and the specialized care needs Tovi would like to prioritize when having surgery. His goal in creating this gofundme is to be able to access surgery with the surgeon of his choice, so that he can have the most affirming, safe, and comfortable care experience.

Tovi has decided on a specific surgeon for his top surgery, Dr. Laurel Chandler, due to her expertise and experience in performing top surgeries for trans/nonbinary patients with a diverse range of body types. Tovi wants to have his surgery performed by someone with this specific expertise for a couple reasons:

-Tovi has undergone drastic weight fluctuations (+100lbs and -80lbs) over the past 6 years and needs specialized attention to the specifics of his current body. There is a far higher chance of satisfactory results (and less chance of a revision being needed, which would incur additional costs) due to Dr. Chandler's experience working with diverse body types. Dr. Chandler has no BMI cutoff and believes all body types are deserving of surgery. Tovi may need chest contouring liposuction due to the specific fat + tissue distribution in his chest from weight fluctuation, and Dr. Chandler will be adept at determining if this is necessary and/or pursuing alternate methods of giving Tovi the desired results while taking into account his specific body composition.

-Existing medical trauma that informs Tovi's decision-making + a need for a care team that will make Tovi feel safe and comfortable throughout this process. Dr. Chandler's dedication + expertise in working with trans/nonbinary patients from all walks of life allows for informed + compassionate care.

-Tovi has diagnosed high blood pressure + other specific (private) health factors that require he works with a surgeon who is fully informed and confident in their ability to provide care for someone with his medical history.

The total amount Tovi is trying to raise ($30k) is the estimated out of pocket cost for all care that he was reccomended to fundraise for.

Tovi's current insurance will not cover an out of network procedure or any out of network care. Tovi's insurance coverage may change in the next year, as his open enrollment period is in October, and he is hoping to be able to access a better insurance plan at the point. However, since this is not a guarantee, Tovi is setting the goal for this fundraiser high enough that, if insurance coverage continues to be unavailable, he will be able to afford all care costs associated with this procedure.

*All funds raised here will go towards Tovi's care costs including pre/post op appointments, actual surgical procedure, necessary medical supplies, and recovery care.

Any residual funds left after all care is completed will be redistributed to other folks' top surgery funds, specifically those with financial roadblocks + lower access to care*

Updates will be posted with breakdowns of how the money gets used throughout this process, including explanations of any goal adjustments and a final update detailing any redistribution of funds that happens once care is completed

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