(EDIT) Top Surgery Recovery Fund
Donation protected
UPDATE:
A surgery date has been scheduled and I have insurance approval according to Cincinnati Children's (shoutout to them for all the TRULY great work they do for our community). My scheduled surgery intake is July 10th, 2019. The image now uploaded shows the post-surgery follow up date for proof of progress, as I understand that folks may prefer to see proof of what's changed/is happening so they know what's been done with their contributions. The fundraiser focus is now squarely on post-surgery care and living expenses, as the procedure will be taking me out of work for a decent amount of time that overlaps with a rent payment and the usual time for school supply purchases. Please see the most recent update posted for details!
OUT OF DATE, LEFT FOR REFERENCE:
Since the election of the new administration in the United States, I personally have been attempting to bring my body and documents into alignment with my gender identity as a man. I have been fortunate enough, with help from multiple generous people in the past and previous fundraising efforts to succeed in a few crucial things:
- Legally changing my deadname to my real name.
- Getting my gender marker corrected on my driver's license and with the Social Security Administration.
- Getting and maintaining hormone replacement treatment for over two years, first through the PRIDE Clinic in Cleveland, OH, and now through the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Clinic.
- The ability to pass as a cisgender male about 80% of the time.
- Diagnoses from qualified psychologists and sexologists that give me the medical record for being transgender.
It is the remaining 20% percent of my time that brings me to this fundraising cycle again. As it stands right now, I have been attempting to fundraise for my top surgery since the summer of 2017. At first my goal was to have it done before Sophomore year began that August. Then before Christmas. Before my 20th birthday.
Now I simply ask that I not be made to graduate with a body that doesn't match who I am in May of 2020. My insurance insists, through multiple appeals and denials, that I am not transgender "enough" medically, to have them pay for the procedure. That's clearly not the case. I've gotten a lawyer through the legal aid society, paid multiple consultation fees to plastic surgeons, attempted taking out loans, even made the switch from the PRIDE Clinic to Cinci Children's for medical care because I was told they could help me.
This is why my starting goal is so low, this time around. I'm fundraising in increments, and here's why:
- Starting small makes the goal easier to quantify, for myself and others.
- If by some fluke, Ohio Medicaid finally decides I deserve the procedure, the money will go to supporting my household while I recover (feeding myself and my partner, taking care of our cats, paying bills).
- Alternatively, if I can pay part of it and take out a loan for the other part, the overall cost in interest won't be so jarring.
All I ask is that I graduate in a body I want to walk in. I think it ridiculous that the transgender community is consistently made to beg for basic medical care. Thank you for reading.
A surgery date has been scheduled and I have insurance approval according to Cincinnati Children's (shoutout to them for all the TRULY great work they do for our community). My scheduled surgery intake is July 10th, 2019. The image now uploaded shows the post-surgery follow up date for proof of progress, as I understand that folks may prefer to see proof of what's changed/is happening so they know what's been done with their contributions. The fundraiser focus is now squarely on post-surgery care and living expenses, as the procedure will be taking me out of work for a decent amount of time that overlaps with a rent payment and the usual time for school supply purchases. Please see the most recent update posted for details!
OUT OF DATE, LEFT FOR REFERENCE:
Since the election of the new administration in the United States, I personally have been attempting to bring my body and documents into alignment with my gender identity as a man. I have been fortunate enough, with help from multiple generous people in the past and previous fundraising efforts to succeed in a few crucial things:
- Legally changing my deadname to my real name.
- Getting my gender marker corrected on my driver's license and with the Social Security Administration.
- Getting and maintaining hormone replacement treatment for over two years, first through the PRIDE Clinic in Cleveland, OH, and now through the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Clinic.
- The ability to pass as a cisgender male about 80% of the time.
- Diagnoses from qualified psychologists and sexologists that give me the medical record for being transgender.
It is the remaining 20% percent of my time that brings me to this fundraising cycle again. As it stands right now, I have been attempting to fundraise for my top surgery since the summer of 2017. At first my goal was to have it done before Sophomore year began that August. Then before Christmas. Before my 20th birthday.
Now I simply ask that I not be made to graduate with a body that doesn't match who I am in May of 2020. My insurance insists, through multiple appeals and denials, that I am not transgender "enough" medically, to have them pay for the procedure. That's clearly not the case. I've gotten a lawyer through the legal aid society, paid multiple consultation fees to plastic surgeons, attempted taking out loans, even made the switch from the PRIDE Clinic to Cinci Children's for medical care because I was told they could help me.
This is why my starting goal is so low, this time around. I'm fundraising in increments, and here's why:
- Starting small makes the goal easier to quantify, for myself and others.
- If by some fluke, Ohio Medicaid finally decides I deserve the procedure, the money will go to supporting my household while I recover (feeding myself and my partner, taking care of our cats, paying bills).
- Alternatively, if I can pay part of it and take out a loan for the other part, the overall cost in interest won't be so jarring.
All I ask is that I graduate in a body I want to walk in. I think it ridiculous that the transgender community is consistently made to beg for basic medical care. Thank you for reading.
Organizer
Kyros James Francis Barton
Organizer
Cincinnati, OH
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