Nick’s Top Surgery Fund

Product Description

Australia

Supporters

Hey!

My name is Nick, I’m a 34 year old transgender man. I have launched this Chuffed campaign to raise funds for gender affirming top surgery. As much as I would like to be able to cover the cost of this life-saving surgery on my own, I am on the Disability Support Pension and unable to work, I live on a very strict budget of fifty bucks a week. I live with Disabilities like short term memory loss, autism and intellectual disabilities. I tried selling The Big Issue for a while, but I was often spending more on travel than I would make from my sales. I also found the work gave me a lot of anxiety and I made the hard decision that it wasn’t worth it. It’s tough for me to ask for money, but I hope by sharing some of my story, you’ll understand the significance of this surgery and the financial barriers I face.

I grew up in and out of foster care, my birth parents were not able to look after me. Foster care was an extremely difficult time for me. I unfortunately ended up with a foster mum who refused to accept me for who I am.

Since the age of eleven I knew I wasn’t a girl. I would sneak into the boys toilets during class, it felt right for me to be in there. I loved to play with the other boys at school, I loved sports. I wanted to have short hair and wear boys’ clothes but my foster mum wouldn’t allow me to do that. Any time that I would try to do things that affirmed my gender as a boy, I would be severely punished.

I never got to be a teenager. My foster mum wanted me fit for marriage and motherhood, so from the age of thirteen I was made to learn all the things she thought would make for a good wife. I cooked, cleaned and looked after all of my siblings. I never got to have fun with my mates. When I was 26, my foster mum sent me to live with a man. I lived with him for seven years until I decided, with immense courage, to start my transition process. My transition was not accepted and I was forced to leave my home.

I couch surfed for a while and eventually made my way down to Naarm in 2023. I arrived with nothing but my beloved animals and a dodgy blow-up couch. Thanks to the kindness of my new friends I now have a proper bed. I don’t have to wake up every hour and pump up my blowup couch anymore! I have a fully furnished apartment and a hell of a lot of clothes.

Starting testosterone has been transformative, but with four broken ribs, I can’t bind my chest. I love the way my face and voice are starting to match how I feel inside. My dream of top surgery is about feeling at home in my body for the first time, being able to take my shirt off whenever I want and smiling at my reflection.

I need your help to become the true me, a man I can be proud of. Every single donation, no matter how small, will make my heart feel so warm. I am so grateful for the kindness my community has already shown me. Each of you will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thank you

Nick

**This story was told by Nick and written by Taffy

Approximation of costs without health insurance (Nick has chosen to not pay for health insurance (Nick doesnt feel like he can make it through the 12 month waiting time) as his aim is to get surgery before October 2025)

Surgeon Consults $550

WPATH Apointments $550

Surgeon’s Fee $6100

Anesthetists Fee $2200

Hospital Fee $9400

Total less medicare rebates $17000

Kristy Lee Tyrrell

2 months ago

$50

Amy Parker

4 months ago

$20

Al and Jac Hennekam

4 months ago

$10

Rachel Pollard

4 months ago

$50

Debra Denny

4 months ago

$10

Ryan Tate

4 months ago

$50

Anonymous

4 months ago

$50

Melissa Carter

4 months ago

$25

Wes Bordin

4 months ago

$50

Anonymous

4 months ago

$25

Jen Jeske

4 months ago

$100

Panda Widyastuti

4 months ago

$25

Jude Wilson

4 months ago

$50

Evan Ferns

4 months ago

$25

Katryse Nicholls

4 months ago

$25

Tonya McMahon

4 months ago

$25

Rebecca Sareff-Hibbert

4 months ago

$54

Kit Walsh

4 months ago

$300

Seymour Tier

4 months ago

$25

Clare Prochowski

5 months ago

$100

Nick Hopkins

Suga Ursae

Taffy Thompson