My brother’s gender-affirming top surgery is scheduled for May 27, and I am raising money to help cover the cost of his procedure and recovery.

I have been by his side through every step of this journey. I was there when he first came out. I was there when he asked me to help him tell our parents. I was there through the fear, the questions, the hard conversations, and the many moments when being himself felt harder than it ever should have been.

We come from a Hispanic, Catholic, conservative family in South Texas, where acceptance did not come easily and access to affirming healthcare has been even harder to find. When he was younger, I advocated for him at school when he needed a safe bathroom. Later, while starting my third year of medical school, I spent my orientation week researching where I could take him to begin hormone therapy. I drove him to Planned Parenthood so he could get started on testosterone. I have been helping him navigate this process ever since.

Now we have reached the next step: surgery.

After a lot of research, I found a surgeon close to where I live so my brother can have his surgery nearby and recover with me helping care for him afterward. That matters deeply to me. I want him to be safe, supported, and close to home during recovery. The total out-of-pocket cost is $9,000, which I am preparing to cover because I could not bear to make him wait longer for something so important. But as a medical student living on loans, I cannot do that without help.

This fundraiser will go toward his surgery, post-op care, medications, and recovery-related expenses.

My brother has fought hard for the chance to live more comfortably and honestly in his own body. This surgery is not about vanity. It is about relief, dignity, and finally feeling more at home in himself.

If you are able to give, thank you. If you are not, sharing this means more than you know. Every bit of support helps me show up for him the way he deserves.