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Hey there! My name is Nestor and I'm a trans-masculine immigrant looking for help paying off my top surgery bills during a particularly difficult period of my life.
I am originally from Malaysia, where being transgender is illegal and getting top surgery has not been and would not be an option for me. I had planned on getting top surgery since moving to Chicago three years ago, and only managed to get a surgery date in April 2023, after waiting almost an entire year for a consultation alone.
The surgery was a success and my mental health has improved infinitely since getting gender-affirming surgery — I cannot understate the importance of this procedure for me and how it has finally allowed me to feel comfortable in my own body for the first time in 25 years.
Before going in for the operation I was initially billed $530 by Northwestern Medical, and judging from the itemised bill they gave me, I assumed that my insurance would cover all other costs. However, that has proved not to be the case, and I was billed another $3,400 on May 12th by Northwestern.
This has come at a particularly tough financial time for me. These are the obstacles that have been mounting for me:
- Earlier this year I did not get picked in the H1-B work visa lottery, despite having a full-time job, and I have to leave the US by August 2023.
- I lose the right to work in the US on June 12th, meaning that I will not be able to earn more income in less than a month's time.
- Preparing to uproot my life here and being forced to move halfway across the world back home is already draining a significant amount from my savings.
- I had also been hoping to build upon and use whatever little savings I had left after the move to emigrate to Australia (where being transgender is at least not illegal, and where I have extended family and friends that I will be safe with), as soon as would be financially possible.
- It would have taken perhaps a few months to a year for me to rebuild my savings had this unexpected bill not come in recently — but now, I'm looking at several years of staying in a country where it is highly unsafe, not to mention illegal, for me to literally exist.
This leaves me no choice but to ask for help shouldering this expense. Circumstances have aligned for me in the worst possible way at the worst possible time, and everything donated will be very much appreciated!
All donations will be used to cover the cost of this top surgery bill, and should this campaign go over the requested amount, everything else will go directly into my savings to help offset the cost of my move and to get me to a safer country, quicker. Thank you for your consideration!