Help Sydni Fund Her FFS
Story
My name is Vic Leon, and with the help of friends and chosen family, we are raising 17,500 to help my partner, Sydni Hampton—a beloved community leader, advocate, and performer —receive Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS), a critical, gender-affirming procedure that will dramatically improve her mental health, quality of life, and everyday safety.
I met Sydni about two years ago at Play Dance Bar in Louisville, KY. I’d seen her around the drag scene, but we didn’t officially meet until she booked me for an anti-Valentine’s Day show. We’ve been inseparable ever since. That’s the effect of Sydni Hampton—she’s a real doll. And once you meet her, you can’t help but love her.
Most people who really know Sydni would probably describe her as committed. With quick-timing and pure wit, she’s never one to shy away from the mic. A good thing too, as many shows in this town wouldn’t have been as successful without her. She loves an audience and loves to make people laugh–especially her friends, family, and co-workers. She will eagerly seize any opportunity to talk about the Louisville Pride Center, and the Food Pantry—the first non-secular open food bank she helped launch in Louisville—as well as her deep passion for community organizations like Louisville Outreach for the Unsheltered, Dreams with Wings, The Gore Club, and UofL’s Cardinal Drag Haus among many others.
On top of it all, she’s a powerhouse entertainer. Somehow, she balances elegance and goofiness with effortless ease—moving from gorgeously feminine and graceful to hilariously absurd, then right back to heart-throbbing magnetism. She’s captivating: an entertainer with depth, charm, and undeniable heart. Whether she’s making you laugh or standing up for justice, she commands attention with authenticity, grace, and wit.
Beneath the bold exterior is someone deeply in love with life—its people, culture, and raw emotion. She’s a testament to the beauty of human connection, meeting people where they are without judgment (unless she’s tossing shade for your own good—or just for laughs). She believes everyone deserves to be heard, seen, and valued in their own way—a true “call-it-like-she-sees-it” kind of woman.
And after a day spent working the food pantry, fundraising, podcasting, sharing her story, or guiding someone through a tough moment—when the lashes finally come off—she’s simply a woman trying to feel good in her own skin and live life on her own terms.
Which is why she needs to get her FFS (Facial Feminization Surgery)—a gender-affirming procedure that will help align her facial features with those typically associated with female characteristics. When we first met with our doctor and his team at UofL, we were told that Medicaid would likely cover the surgery, as it had previously covered other gender-affirming procedures. Unfortunately, due to recent cuts in Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care, our attempts to get coverage have been denied. We even filed an appeal and had our doctor complete a peer-to-peer review—no such luck.
While Sydni is resilient–and we’re not giving up–she would never ask for this kind of help. It’s been deeply disheartening to be denied time and again by Kentucky’s healthcare system. For her mental well-being, myself and friends are taking it upon ourselves to raise what she needs so she can stay the course. This surgery isn’t cosmetic. It’s life-saving. Without it, Sydni faces constant dysphoria, anxiety, and the emotional exhaustion of navigating a world that too often refuses to see her for who she is. This procedure would allow her to live in her truth—with confidence, dignity, and peace. It would be a turning point in her life.
Financially, Sydni’s total time in hospital combined with the cost of the procedures themselves comes out to be 15,152.56. Surgery is scheduled for Monday, June 9th at 5:30 AM. It is required we pay at least the hospital fees upfront before the day of surgery, and the surgery fee no later than day of. We still don’t know what anesthesia will cost, and insurance likely won’t cover medications. She will be out of commission for 4-6 weeks while she heals so we also need to take into account her living expenses primarily for the month of July.
Sydni and I are both professional drag performers. She also works at the Pride Center and takes on production, writing, consulting & hosting projects, while I freelance as an actor and educator. We live in Old Louisville with our roommate Yessica, another beloved local drag artist. While we’ve been able to set aside some savings, we were unfortunately denied Care Credit and are actively applying for surgical grants to help close the gap.
Here’s a breakdown of what we need to achieve by June 8th:
Estimated Costs:
Hospital Fees: 9,393.56
-Facility: 8,626
-Sales Tax: 517.56 (6% KY cosmetic procedure tax)
-24-Hour Observation: 250
Anesthesia (billed separately): 300–1,500
Surgery Costs: 5,759
-Brow Lift: 916
-Forehead Osteoplasty: 1,122
-Frontal Sinus Setback: 1,772 (required with osteoplasty)
-Tracheal Shave: 1,949
Living Expenses (July): 701
-Rent & Water: 451
-Groceries: 150
-Utilities: 80
-Gas for Appointments: 20
Total (before meds): ~17,353.56
Goal: 17,500
Sydni has poured her soul into this community for years—it’s time we pour some love back into her. She deserves the chance to live fully and freely, without the weight of dysphoria holding her back.
Please donate, share, and help us reach our 17,500 goal by June 8th. Every dollar helps bring Sydni closer to the safety, comfort, and joy she deserves.
If you’re local, join us for her benefit drag show: Cuntification! at Big Bar on Thursday, June 5th—every tip goes toward her FFS. And if anything (as her best friend Stevie Dicks says), once she gets this surgery, maybe she’ll finally stop talking about it! But in all seriousness—Sydni deserves this care, and we’re asking you to help make it possible. Let’s show up for our girl who’s always shown up for others.
Organizers :
Vic Leon is organizing this fundraiser.