My name is Dani and I am fundraising for my best friend Rhys' top surgery this coming April!

Best friend truly does not even begin to cover my relationship with Rhys, who has been my dearest friend, ally, and cheerleader for nearly 14 years now. They are more like my soul mate and sibling. I want to support them in their long-term goal of getting top surgery, just like they have passionately supported the queer population as a community organizer in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

For a huge chunk of my relationship with Rhys, top surgery has been a dream- but only a dream. It always seemed like an impossibility. But now they finally have an opportunity to realize this dream in April of 2026. Like many other trans people in America right now, accessing gender-affirming surgery has become, very suddenly, an emergency as we all navigate a regime that seems determined to strip us of our agency, and erase our very existence from the world.

Rhys is lucky to have the help of their insurance plan to help cover a portion of their bilateral mastectomy, though they will still be responsible for covering about 30% of the cost. They also require auxiliary liposuction as part of their gender-affirming surgery- which will not be covered by insurance at all.

Additionally, living in the red state of North Carolina means they have little access to the care they need and must travel out of state to Washington, D.C. and cover the cost of travel, food, and a place to stay before and after their surgery.

Community is a powerful thing, and I hope that Rhys' community can come together to help support them leading up to this life-changing medical care.