Support Kai's Top Surgery

Hi, my name is Alex, and this is my boo, Kai – I am raising money towards his top surgery in May 2025, which includes financial support for his medical bills and hospitalisation, but also support for his rest and recovery after the surgery. I ask for your generous support to this gender- and life-affirming surgery for Kai, who finally consented to my making of this fundraiser for him last week. Kai has over the years shown up and contributed so, so very much to the queer and performing arts communities in both Copenhagen and Berlin, by community organizing and sharing performance and survival tools for trans bodies through the arts.

It's time we all show him some coin gratitude.

Here's the long(er) story:

For as long as I've known him, it's been Kai's hope and desire to undergo this life- and gender-affirming surgery. At the moment, Kai is following a treatment plan at the public gender clinic (CKI) in Copenhagen. Though he is receiving his hormone replacement therapy here, top surgery is out of reach due to the year-long waiting list, lack of personel, and a current lack of equipment and expertise.

Therefore, he has enlisted for his surgery at the private Reform Clinic in Malmö.

However, the process towards his surgery has been rocky: In December 2024, Kai was suddenly hospitalized with a benign tumor in his abdomen, which was removed in surgery. The tumor had gone unnoticed for months due to medical neglect and transphobia in the health care system, which prompted fears that he wouldn't be treated properly.

In order to prioritize his recovery in the following months, Kai was unable to work and practice at the pace, which is required in a market economy. At the same time, he still had to be available for and attend mandatory job trainings, application writing, and internships in order to qualify for his partial unemployment benefit. This left little to no time for deep rest and rejuvenation, and it simultaneously drained his savings. It goes without saying that if he fails to show up at the job center, he risks losing his social benefit–but showing up after a surgery is detrimental to recovery.

In all of his encounters with both the health care system and the unemployment center, Kai has experienced doubt and distrust, partly because of his visible gender queerness. It is for these reasons that I reach out to our community to ask us to extend a lifeline to Kai.

Facing this gender- and life-affirming top surgery carries with it significant risk. It's vital to dedicate recovery time after the procedure to avoid complications. We can reduce this risk, if Kai can dedicate time to his healing.

But time in this economy is expensive, and as a recipient of unemployment benefit, Kai can only rest in the pace of the system's requirements.

Kai has funded the surgery itself by taking loans, so I am asking for contributions towards the downpayments of his medical bills and the hospitalisation at the clinic in Malmö. I am also asking for contributions towards his transport to and from the hospital, as well as post-op consultations, and any unexpected adaptations that may be required for him in his months of recovery. Any and all contributions are welcome.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions,

with much gratitude, from me and Kai <3

xx, Alex