edit: hi! i have been able to cover a lot of the surgery costs outside of this fundraiser so i have lowered the goal from its original £7000!

hello all <3

a decade ago, i finally was able to find words for what i had been feeling for a long time and came out as non-binary. since my teenage years, dysphoria regarding my chest has affected my 24/7, increasingly so as my chest has grown more in recent years. at 17 i received my first binder (shoutout to my wonderful friend ala for that gift) and try to bind when i can. but due to my asthma and physical job, this is very often not possible as it is restrictive and uncomfortable. ten years on from first coming out, i am finally persuing undergoing top surgery.

this surgery will be change my life entirely. the way i walk, work, dress, exercise and simply live will be transformed.

on 1st july, i travelled to malmö in sweden to meet with dr tuve mårtensson at reformkliniken in the city. he is a specialist in plastic surgery and has decades of experience in the field. i found out about him through various people online and he comes highly recommended. he was happy to proceed with the surgery and the 4th december 2025 has been reserved as the surgery date, although this can be subject to change if i can raise the funds quicker.

after lots of research and enquiries about getting top surgery here in the uk, i became more and more discouraged by the nhs wait times and the private prices and have putting this off for years as a result. if you wanted to pursue top surgery on the nhs in the uk, wait times can be as long as 10 years. in the uk, surgeons require a diagnosis of gender dysphoria (some require TWO for non-binary people) by a gender specialist to perform top surgery. nhs waitlists for such a diagnosis is generally 5+ years long and if you wanted to go private, it would cost hundreds. in addition to those costs, top surgery was quoted as costing up to £13,000 if done privately. i am happy with the results i have seen performed by mårtensson and see this option as much more achievable than having it done here in the uk.

after my consultation with dr mårtensson, i have been quoted 85,000 sek which equates to just over £6500. this is obviously a markedly lower price and dr mårtensson works on an informed consent model so does not require a gender dypshoria diagnosis. and even though this is ££££s less than what i would have to pay here in the uk, it is still not remotely affordable for me so i am asking for your help to make this happen.

i am also currently asking for an additional £500 to cover extra costs. i estimate travel, accommodation and food for myself and a carer will cost £1500+. accommodation costs will cover a two week~ stay in malmö to not overstress my body with travel and due to there being a follow-up appointment 10-14 days post surgery at the clinic. some of this money will also cover not being able to work for approximately a month as i recover.

anything you can give will mean the absolute world to me and contribute to changing my life entirely. even if you cannot donate, sharing this on any and all of your socials to spread the word would be a great help and is infinitely appreciated!

thank you

emden (they / them)

:)