I am a Palestinian trans woman, an immigrant, and a member of one of the most marginalized communities in the world. About half a decade ago, I underwent bottom surgery in Canada that failed. It left me with necrotic scar tissue inside my body, tissue that is growing, spreading, and now fusing with nearby organs.
This is not only excruciatingly painful, it is life threatening. The scar tissue is constantly infected, causing bleeding, fever, and unbearable pain. Every day my body is breaking down further. Without intervention, the consequences could be irreversible or fatal.
Canada’s healthcare system has failed me. For years, doctors left my condition untreated, dismissing the seriousness until it reached a breaking point. Now the situation is urgent. Canada only has three hospitals that provide trans healthcare, but none of them has the trained specialists or laparoscopic equipment to remove this dangerous tissue. The only path left for me is to travel abroad and pay out-of-pocket for life-saving revision surgery.
This is not a luxury. This is about survival, dignity, and the basic human right to healthcare. Trans women, especially Palestinian, immigrant, and racialized women are systematically denied access to proper medical care. My story is not unique: it is one example of how marginalized communities are left to suffer in silence while our needs are treated as expendable.
I cannot do this alone. Your support will fund urgent revision surgery abroad before this condition destroys my body or takes my life.
Organizer
Asma Assaf
Organizer
East York, ON