Hi,

For those who don't know me, or who don't know me by my chosen name, I'm Theo Johnson. For the purposes of this fundraiser, I'm a trans guy, but I'm also a brother, son, grandson, friend, lover of cats, music and art, and nerdy things.

I am trying to raise funds for gender affirming top surgery. This surgery is important to me as I want to be able to walk through the world being seen on the outside as I feel on the inside. Also, presenting as visibly male could make life safer for me as it will eliminate any guessing or questions (and possible hostility, which is very real in these times) from the general public.

I have been waiting for this procedure for 2 years and I'm so excited to have finally gotten the call for surgery scheduled for January 9th 2026. Unfortunately, this call came just as my benefits for gender affirming care from my former employer ended. My company has done mass closings and layoffs in the last couple of months and unfortunately I worked at one of the stores that closed. This means that I am now out of work, and I, and my single mom (who is not supported in any way by my father), are not prepared for the extra costs involved in this procedure. Though the basic surgery is covered in our province, anyone who wants the simple freedom of taking off their shirt and appearing to have a normal male chest has to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket. This goes toward having nipples and not having loose skin flaps under the arms after surgery. Also, we have to travel 4 hours a few times for this surgery and follow ups, which will come with its own costs.

Thank you so much for following my story so far, and for anything that you can give. Whether it be funds or even just good vibes. This really is a very big deal for me and my family and we appreciate any help that can come our way. Transitioning really is a huge journey, not just for the individual but for their family. There is so much joy in being able to be who you really are but also so much stress that comes with the process. My mom has been rock solid in helping me out and I want to make sure that both of us can hope and plan for this procedure to be as successful as possible without feeling overwhelmed by the financial weight of it.

Thank you so much for your help, and Merry Christmas.