Joanna's Gender Confirmation Surgery

Co-organized

Joanna Pozarycki and Savannah Pozarycki are organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Dear friends and family,

As you may or may not know, Joanna is in need of life-changing gender confirmation surgery and is scheduled to receive it in June of 2021. Despite insurance coverage, the costs of her copay, coinsurance, and post-surgery care are outside our grasp. We are coming to you, our wonderful extended family of friends, relatives, and queer comrades to ask for help. This is a difficult yet exciting time and we are so grateful to have such love and support around us. ✨

JOANNA
Joanna is an amazing wife, artist, student, and friend! She resides in Portland, Oregon where she attends Portland State University and creates horror with Monstrous Femme Films. She lives with her wife, two wonderful cats, and their found family Peach & Johnny Campbell amongst piles of books and a menagerie of furry nieces and nephews.

TRANSITION
Joanna has known she was transgender since an early age. In 2017, the mounting feelings of dysphoria and a strong support system brought her out of the closet and onto the path toward being her true self. She has now been on HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and living as Jo for 2 years.

SURGERY
Dysphoria is a debilitating experience that pulls Jo down into depression. Every mirror is a reminder, and every comment from strangers that highlights the difference between her identity and appearance is salt in the wound. In order to feel comfortable in her skin and enjoy the activities of everyday life without scrutiny from others, Joanna needs to to undergo gender confirmation surgery. This surgery will consist of two separate procedures performed by the Meltzer Clinic with Dr. Ellie Zara Ley, who is a trans woman herself!

HOW YOU CAN HELP
1. Share this call for help. Share it wide, share it often.
2. Donate. Anything helps- anything at all!

BREAKDOWN OF ESSENTIAL EXPENSES
This is what your generous donations will go toward:
- The crucial cost of this surgery is the copay & coinsurance, due up front. We are anticipating about $7,000 for her first and most intensive procedure.
- By the date of her surgery, Joanna must finish electrolysis (a form of permanent hair removal) of her genitals. This costs $85/hour will take 150+ hours to complete. Insurance covers about 70% of this cost, so her cost should be about $3,500.
- After surgery, she will need to pay for prescriptions, follow-up appointment copays, and medical equipment & supplies like dilators and bandages.
- Joanna will be unable to work for about six weeks following her first surgery. She will receive reduced pay at best during this time.

ADDITIONAL EXPENSES:
Any money raised exceeding our goal or leftover after our essential expenses will go to the following:
- Copay, coinsurance, and potential airfare for the less intensive second step following her first surgery
- Facial electrolysis during the 6 weeks she is recuperating from surgery at home
- Future procedures in Joanna's transition, such as a tracheal shave (reduction of the adam's apple)

Thank you for reading, sharing, and contributing to support Joanna's health and happiness. It means the world to us.