This fundraising effort is in response to my undying love and support of my son Devyn, who came out as transgender seven years ago, at eleven years of age. As his mother, I will do anything and everything within my power to access the resources necessary to protect my son's physical, mental and emotional well being. We are blessed to feel extremely well resourced in your love, friendship and support. However, we are not as resourced financially, and Devyn’s access to healthcare has been dramatically decreased during this time in our nation’s transphobic political climate. This is where you come in! We need your help!

When Devyn started his social and medical transition from female to male in 2018, I immediately wrapped him in my love and encouragement. As a mental health professional, I easily understood the risks of denying him access to gender-affirming care. What many people don’t understand is that living in a body that doesn’t align with a person’s gender identity causes all sorts of confusion and mental and physical stress, putting transgender youth at high risk. Transgender folks often don’t feel safe walking in the world because they are misunderstood, discriminated against, and are much more likely to be victims of violence, homelessness, mental health issues and suicide. The rates are scary! Thus, delaying care has never been an option for us.

Even in Chicago, where we feel very fortunate to live, my son regularly faces explicit transphobia (fear, violence and hatred toward, and discrimination against transgender people) from strangers, folks at school, and even people that Devyn used to feel close to when he identified more closely with the gender he was assigned at birth. Yet he is still the same person I brought home from the hospital after he was born, and has done nothing to deserve any of this!

And now our nation’s president continues to fight to ban medical care for transgender youth in his transphobic efforts towards erasure. As a result, our family is faced with compromised medical care and we are not able to access the final piece of Devyn’s medical transition; breast reduction/chest masculinization (aka top surgery). We have received amazing gender affirming care since 2018 at the Gender Clinic at Lurie Children’s Hospital. However, as of this year, Lurie is no longer able/willing to complete the surgery to anyone under the age of 19, even though for Devyn it has been declared medically necessary! Based on the mental and emotional risks of denying Devyn his medical transition/top surgery, we cannot and will not continue to wait any longer.

Earlier this year, we were put into contact with a local private plastic surgeon through Trans UpFront, a transgender youth activist group. This surgeon has performed almost 1000 gender-affirming top surgeries to trans people just like my son Devyn. We are thrilled and relieved that Devyn will have his surgery on January 5th 2026, which is quickly approaching! The downside is that insurance cannot cover the surgery because no hospital will perform it out of fear of retaliation from the current administration. This means that I need to find a way to pay out-of-pocket for this costly procedure. I am convinced, without a shadow of a doubt, that with your help I will be able to pull this off. Together, we can do it!

Please consider donating to our fundraising campaign to affirm Devyn's identity and his humanity. We need your help now more than ever. Over the years, you have provided me with a sense of comfort and safety in your deep care and understanding, which has been invaluable. I could not have accessed my inner resources and strength to provide the necessary emotional support to my son without you! This journey has been rocky, but our mother-son relationship is so strong and inspires me every single day to keep on going despite my challenges of single motherhood. I have found a greater purpose through my devotion to helping Devyn navigate his gender transition and to help keep him safe and well. He will go on to do great things, I have no doubt. Together, let’s help this amazing young man to feel empowered, supported and strong enough to go forth and help change the world for the better: I know he will.

Please give what you can, you won’t regret it!

With appreciation,

Becca

p.s. Devyn, guess how much I love you ...✨✨✨