After over two years of waiting, LM (or MJ if you've heard about the new one!)— a non-binary, musician and grad student — is finally scheduled for top surgery this May. This isn’t just a gender-affirming step (though it’s that too) — it’s a life-changing, pain-reducing, posture-improving surgery they’ve needed for a long time.

MJ has Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a connective tissue disorder that makes the weight of their chest a daily source of chronic pain. Simple things — playing the cello, walking, even just sitting upright — can be exhausting. A significant chest reduction will take a huge physical and emotional weight off their shoulders (literally and figuratively).

They’ve managed to pull together a down payment thanks to insurance money from a traumatic home break-in last fall — a situation that involved literally fighting off an intruder when they returned to kick in the back door. It’s been a long road. Now, the remaining costs include not just the $6000 surgeon fee, but also hospital and anesthesia fees, compression garments, and 4–6 weeks of lost income during recovery.

The timing is finally right, and the surgery is booked — they just need a little help to close the financial gap. Every bit of support helps MJ move toward a life with less pain, more comfort, and way fewer doses of naproxen. Thank you so much for helping make this possible.