Help Jamie Afford Her Surgery
Hi everyone
My name is Kimberley and I wanted to tell you about a very special friend of mine whom I want to help. Her name is Jamie and to know her is to like her, respect her and admire her.
She has helped me tremendously over the past few years, and I wanted to thank her and give back through this Go Fund Me Campaign. The goal is to hep her to achieve her dream of gender affirming surgery.
I am calling on her community to contribute 3/4 of the cost of life changing transition surgery.
I’ve included her story below to help explain why she needs your help
ABOUT JAMIE
Jamie is a transgender woman. Like many people she has struggled with gender dysphoria all of her life, and her personal circumstances caused her to believe that transitioning would never EVER be a possibility for her.
She has always felt like her soul was given to the wrong body and always felt uncomfortable in her own skin. Despite that she resolved to do her best to play the roles of son, uncle, husband … because that is what she thought was required of her.
Whilst she was supporting and helping me through a really shit period in my life I was able to get some insight in to her life too. I’ve seen her unhappy, unhealthy and miserable.
I completely cannot relate to what she has been through, as I’ve always felt comfortable in my own body. But I can understand that feeling like you don’t fit must be awful.
If you are connected with her on Facebook you’ll have witness the amazing transformation she has gone through, and you will have seen how happy she is now.
Watching her start her transition and come out publicly has been like watching a lotus flower bloom from the dirty muddy water of her life. I’ve personally witnessed the transformation as she has stepped in to her truth and become happier and healthier. This has also rippled out to positively impact those around her.
No doubt you’ll agree it has been beautiful to watch 
JAMIE THE EMPATH AND HEALER
For much of her life Jamie has been committed to helping others in need. Professionally she worked as a clinical counsellor helping people get their lives back on track, and in her personal life she has worked tirelessly to be there for people who are struggling.
I’ve had my fair share of challenges and she has always been there for me, and never gave up on me when I was ready to give up on myself. now i’m getting my life on track and I have her to thank for that.
In addition she has stepped in to the role of advocate for all women and was recently invited to speak at a women's forum on the topic of judgement where she also shared the story of her transition.
9 YEARS OF ADVERSITY
Jamie is a beautiful soul, both inside and out, however her life has not been without problems. I know everyone faces challenges, but she has had to deal with more than her fair share. In addition to a life time of gender dysphoria she was stuck in a long term abusive relationship which nearly destroyed her, has been dealing with the debilitating effects of Chronic Fatigue syndrome, Depression and anxiety since 2010, and too many family deaths in recent years.
Despite these adversities she has always been there for those around her, even when it took a toll on her own mental health and wellbeing.
FINANCIAL CHALLENGES
One of the things she doesn’t talk about much is the financial challenge she has faced. In 2013 she divorced and was left with an almost empty house, and empty bank account and close to $600,000 in debts. It has been a long road back, but to her credit and despite her inability to work full time she has managed to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past 4 years.
She could have opted to go bankrupt and write off all of that debt, but she took personal responsibility for joint personal debt and business debt and vowed to pay back everyone she and her partner owed money to.
SO, WHAT IS NEXT?
Jamie has already been so courageous to step in to her truth and live as her authentic self. And I by opting to openly share her journey with us so many people have learned more about gender dysphoria and transgender issues, as well as being inspired to live our own truth.
She is doing well with her hormone therapy, has commenced voice training, and is living full time as a woman … with amazing results. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that she is gorgeous.
The next step for her though will be one of the biggest. One of the biggest challenges for her has always been the fact that she felt like she has the wrong … *cough* plumbing.
Fortunately surgical techniques in this area are excellent and provided much needed relief for people who’s bodies don’t match their internal gender identity.
By receiving life changing gender affirming surgery Jamie’s transition will be largely complete. Her body will match the woman we know she is and she will no longer be played by the dysphoric thoughts which have troubled her for most of her life. 
THE PLAN
Jamie’s Specialist Transgender Physician has recommended she consider surgery in Thailand.
Why Thailand? The other option is to travel to Melbourne, but the best surgeons in the world for this type of surgery are in Thailand.
According to her Doctor the Thai surgeons are doing 2-3 of these surgeries a day, whereas the best in Australia are doing 2-3 per week. The Thai’s are also the pioneers of all the latest techniques meaning great outcomes for their patients in terms of aesthetics and sensation.
Typically this type of surgery is a significant undertaking and will require her to spend 2-3 weeks of recovery in Thailand before travelling home.
You can read more about the journey Jamie faces on her blog at youmatter.com.au 
THE COSTS
The cost of surgery for Jamie will be US$20,000 plus return airfare and miscellaneous living expenses for her three week stay in Thailand.
She already has a savings plan started and if that runs on track she will have around AU$7000 saved by October. I am asking her community to contribute AU$20,000 to allow her to seek surgery as soon as she is eligible.
That’s only:
20 people contributing $1000,
40 people contributing $500, or
200 people contributing $100
I know AU$20,000 is such a small amount in comparison to the debt she has been paying off, but I really feel that raising this money for her will remove another financial pressure, greatly reduce her stress levels and give her the gender affirming and life changing surgery that she needs.
But one thing I know, this surgery will make a world of difference in her life, and I’m sure that you want to see this happen as much as I do.
A PERSONAL NOTE FROM JAMIE
"Hey there, Jamie here =)
I just wanted to thank you in advance for your support.
I already feel like so much has been about my transition already. But I know there will be people reading this who aren't connected with me on Facebook and who haven't read my blog (youmatter.com.au)
For the longest of times I've been watching other people decide to step out in courage and make significant life changing decisions, and secretly longed that I could have the courage to do the same.
Imagine living your entire life with the feeling that you were born in to the wrong body, and that there were parts of your body that really didn't belong, but there was NOTHING you could do about it ... because you were born a certain way and that is the role you had to play.
In a nutshell ... that was my life, and despite the mask I wore pretending to be happy, inside I was dying.
For those who suffer with gender dysphoria, it can be soul crushing.
And so it was for me.
That was until a series of events in 2017 led me to pluck up the courage I needed to get brutally honest with myself and acknowledge my true self. Once I was able to admit to myself that I was transgender the weight of fear of what other people would think was lifted and my life changed.
So what does that mean?
It means that now the people who know me get to see the real me. It means I'm not afraid to lower the facade I've been wearing all these years and step in to my authentic truth. And it means that as I get my mojo back I'm able to make a better and greater contribution to helping people around me step in to their own versions of their truth.
The journey for me is really just beginning. Whilst I've come so far, I really just feel like I'm stepping up to the start line.
Some of the biggest hurdles are still ahead of me but I really hope that with your help the hurdles can be overcome and that what happens is something extraordinary.
I love the quote "A rising tide lifts ALL ships". I sincerely hope that by me stepping in to my power, and regaining my mojo, that I can then give back to support those in my community who need a hand up too.
Thanks again in anticipation of your support
Jamie xx "
ps. each of the individual reward levels include all reward levels below it too.
