Urgent Support for Vital Surgery for Young Adult

In their own words:

Hi, I’m an 18-year-old trans person in Pennsylvania, and I'm raising $8000 to access a costly gender-affirming procedure that cannot be covered by my insurance (and hospitals accepting my insurance have in recent months created policies against serving my demographic).

This surgery is an urgent necessity for me to be able to live fully and recover my physical health. I have 60 days to raise the funds!

I’ve had to wear compression vests and KT (athletic) tape for 7 years+ to manage the dysphoria - which has contributed to an overall decline in my muscle tone, strength and health. I can’t breathe fully and my range of motion is severely limited, meaning I can’t exercise or even walk for long periods without pain and discomfort.

The vests themselves cause overheating and skin reactions like rashes, which prevents me from going outside for most of the year; the compression contributes to anxiety and light-headedness because I can’t breathe easily. Having to wear it for hours, almost everyday for years, has resulted in weakened back/chest muscles and lungs, which I will only be able to recover from following surgery.

I’ve needed to get this procedure for as long as I’ve been wearing different compression garments, tapes, etc. Just a year ago it would have been covered by my state-funded insurance, but that is no longer a possibility, with federal threats to hospitals providing gender-affirming care and now the complete gutting of Medicaid and Affordable Care.

I am one of the many, many trans people whose access to healthcare has been seriously disrupted, prevented, or ended in just the past 6 months. Fears about mounting inaccessibility, increased gatekeeping, out-pricing and widespread economic insecurity, are all more reasons I’m anxious to have this done as soon as possible so I can get on with my life, live somewhat freely for the first time, and begin finding ways to work and support myself.

I'm asking for your help to make this surgery possible. The $8000 covers everything - surgeon's fee, anesthesia, hospital fees, and aftercare. It’s a discounted rate, and I’m deeply grateful to the provider offering this option. For privacy and safety, I’m not disclosing the clinic or date publicly, but the surgery is fast approaching.

If you’re able to give - whether it’s $10, $50, or more - you’ll be helping me breathe easier, move without pain, and finally begin to live in a body that feels like mine. If you can’t donate, sharing this page with your community helps more than you know.

Thank you for helping me move toward a life of freedom, health, and self-determination.

From my Parents:

As parents, we've watched our child struggle with the pain and dysphoria that comes from living in a body that doesn’t reflect who they are. We tried to access puberty blockers years ago, but gender-affirming care for youth has always been extremely difficult to navigate. For nearly eight years, we’ve felt helpless - fighting for our child’s right to exist comfortably in their own skin while doors continued to close around us.

We truly believed that turning 18 would finally open the path to care. It felt like the light at the end of a long tunnel. But just as we got there, the goalposts moved again due to shifting policies, institutional bans, and broken promises from insurance systems. We simply cannot wait any longer. Our child deserves to feel safe, strong, and whole in their body.

We want to be transparent: We’re asking for $8,000 to cover not just the surgeon and hospital fees, but also necessary post-op care, supplies, and any unexpected costs. We also need to account for the platform’s transaction fees, so the full amount is available when it’s needed.

To secure the date, we are prepared to pay the required 20% deposit out of pocket. We’re fully committed to moving forward! Mom will be taking time off work to drive them to pre-op appointments and be by their side during surgery and recovery. Although we pay monthly insurance premiums, the plan won’t cover this essential procedure due to recent policy changes - leaving us to cover it entirely out of pocket.

Give as you can, share widely, and help us usher our child into the beautiful future they deserve.