I'm Malakhi, or Kai as you probably know me (they/he or it). I'm 25, from Hull, England and I'm trans/agender, and disabled/chronically ill.

!READ UPDATE!

*This description was edited in April 2024 to reflect the changes in need/costs*

I came out as non binary in 2012. I then started using the name Mason and often bound using old scarves and other rags. A friend helped me choose the name Kai the following summer, which quickly became my name full time and eventually evolved into Malakhi just this year.

I began experiencing the start of my chronic health issues aged 14, which for many reasons made accessing even basic healthcare a much harder task for me and something i came to avoid whenever I could. While I constantly fantasised about gender affirming treatment back then I didn't know how I could make that possible for myself, so I just buried it down.

Its been a long ever changing journey to self acceptance, and I spent ages 16 to 20 suppressing my identity and losing myself more and more. Aged 16 I had to leave the family home - which involved street sleeping and sofa surfing and 4+ years in homeless accommodation. I was still out, but I wasn't living how I really wanted to live.

2019 onwards was really the turning point personally, and I also was able to finally secure permanent accomodation. It then hit me during the pandemic that I should never have ignored these needs for so long and that it's time now to make a decision and learn to be me again. I've been finding myself more and more since, and I knew immediately how much I needed top surgery once I began binding again and 2 years later I'm finally in a place where I feel truly ready to take the next steps.

I unfortunately never referred to the NHS Gender Identity Services in all that time and am facing a 7+ years wait just to be seen for a first appointment. My only option is to self-fund treatment.

I'm currently unfit to work properly, working once a month for The Residents Association. I've also started drag! Which is very fun. Exhausting, but fun.

Price Breakdown

I have chosen ACPK in Stockholm, Sweden.

expected costs:

-around £4500 for surgery at ACPK with Dr Alexander Kamali. This includes all cost of surgery including the cost of 1 surgical binder, a small supply of other medical items, and some necessary prescriptions.

-around £200 for myself & travel partners flights.

Flights are advertised online for roughly between £50-100 per person, fees not included.

-£850 apartment cost

This is a lot more than I wanted to spend, but a serviced apartment is the best for my needs and this was the best deal I could get for the time I need to stay for. I need a few recovery days in Sweden before I travel home, especially due to my fatigue and mobility issues, so this increases the cost exponentially than if I were to go straight home the next day.

-£300 for a Mobiquip All Terrain Wheelchair.

I'm someone who struggles to travel outside of the few miles within my city as it is - so a wheelchair is a must if I'm travelling for surgery. While I could get a much cheaper chair, quality is important for comfort and I plan on using the chair part time when back home also, so it needs to work for me. That being said if anyone can recommend a cheaper chair that folds easily for flights and travels on different surfaces well, please let me know.

-£100ish on supplies such as recovery pillows, extra medical tape/gauze/spare surgical binder, hygiene products etc.

- £150 for a surgery referral from GenderGP.....

The surgeon has advised he only requires the surgical referral in my case as while I don't have a diagnosis my dysphoria has been documented long term.

I also need to apply for my passport, which is a journey within itself as I'll need to sort changing my name and marker on it.

*IF YOU ARE IN THE UK AND HAVE DONE THIS SAME ROUTE, USED EITHER ACPK OR ANOTHER STOCKHOLM PROVIDER, AND FOUND MUCH CHEAPER OPTIONS FOR TRAVEL, ACCOM AND FOOD - OR IF YOU JUST HAVE RECS FOR THE CHEAPEST & BEST PRE-OP AND POST-OP SUPPLIES TO GET, ANY OTHER TIPS AND TRICKS, PLEASE MESSAGE ME!!! PLEASE!!!*

I started this fundraiser with £2000 in bank. Due to me aggressively saving as much as I can since then, as of March 8th 2024 I have £5000 ready to go including the £1000 donated by all of you lovely, amazing people and I just need to raise some final funds. The goal has decreased from £4000 to £2500 to reflect this progress.

I knew I wouldn't likely need to reach the entire £4000 goal however I thought I'd need to have gotten much, much closer to it. Without your help I'd still be getting the money together, I wouldn't be booking it all already. So thank you. Thank you so much

Thank you for reading, donating, sharing. Your support means everything to me and I'm forever indebted.

Special shout out to the angel Scott & everyone at The Residents Association for your continued love and support over the years, and for your far too generous contributions to my fund.

As well as my beautiful brothers in drag at Last Pick Theatre for welcoming me into your little cryptid family, helping me fundraise, helping me recover, shaping me into the messy, awkward, but completely enamoured king I am today and just being the best friends I could ask for.

The tits are coming off, baby.

Big love

If I have any funds leftover in the end, they're going to go straight back into the community, prioritising Hull queer causes.