Donate to Help H Get Gender-Affirming Top Surgery!, organized by Heath Rushing

Hi, I’m Heath—known by most as “H.” I’m a 30-year-old transmasculine person in Los Angeles working toward raising money for top surgery. Even as a kid, I didn’t feel at home in my body. I didn’t have the words for it yet, but I knew from a young age that I wasn’t a girl. Growing up in a small town in Florida as a closeted queer kid was hard enough, but puberty made everything worse. As my body changed, so did my sense of self. I felt constant discomfort, anger, and anxiety. Shame followed me everywhere, and I withdrew, isolating myself from the world around me. “God doesn’t make mistakes”—a phrase I was told the first time I expressed wishing I was a boy—constantly echoed in my mind, amplifying the shame I felt about my sexuality and gender. It became overwhelming, affecting my ability to be present in school, at home, even with myself. As soon as I could, I left my small town and tried to find peace and acceptance externally. While I spent much of my 20’s struggling with self-acceptance, painfully binding my chest, and really doing whatever I could just to survive, I have slowly but surely begun to find my way back to myself. What This Surgery Means to Me After years of therapy and self reflection, I now have the words for what I’ve experienced my whole life: gender dysphoria. I came out as trans in the summer of 2020 and began hormone replacement therapy five months ago. I’m back in school, working a big-boy office job, and painting whenever I can. Life is moving forward, and for the first time in a long time, I feel I’m moving forward, too. Growing up in Florida, I’ve always felt most at home by water. It’s my safe place. Swimming, fishing, kayaking—it’s where I felt the most like myself. Because of my body, I haven’t been able to enjoy something as simple as going to the beach. The thought of being able to feel free in the ocean again, without worrying about how I look or how others see me, brings tears of relief and joy to my eyes. It’s a kind of freedom I haven’t had in so long, and can’t wait to get back. Scheduling gender-affirming top surgery—and asking for help to make it happen—feels like an enormous step toward self-acceptance and healing. This isn’t just a medical procedure; it’s about reclaiming my body and my sense of self. When I look in the mirror after this surgery, I’ll finally see the person I’ve always been. I’ve spent years believing I didn’t deserve good things, but I know now that I do. This surgery will have a transformative impact on my mental health and comfort, and I’m committed to making it happen. I’m trying my best to take care of myself, but even all the therapy does not take away my every day experience of being misgendered and feeling uncomfortable in my body, impacting my well-being. Why I Need Your Help On August 12, 2025, I’ll be flying back to Florida to have this gender affirming top surgery with Dr. Charles Garramone, a highly respected surgeon specializing in FTM top surgery. His results are outstanding, but he doesn’t accept insurance, which means paying out of pocket for the procedure and related expenses. While I’m working 30+ hours a week and attending school full-time, I’m not in a financial position to save up for this surgery on my own. What Your Support Will Cover The total cost for the surgery and related expenses is $20,290. Here’s the breakdown: * FTM Top Surgery: $13,000 * Hospital & Anesthesia Fees: $3,490 * Routine Breast Pathology: $300 * Travel, Airbnb, and After-Care Medical Supplies: $2,000 * GoFundMe Fees (2.9%): ~$1,000 Your support—whether it’s a donation or simply sharing this page—will help me reach this goal and take this important step in my transition. Every bit helps, and I’m endlessly grateful for your kindness. A Special Thank You Asking for financial help is deeply personal and vulnerable, but I’ve come to see it as an act of trust and community. I believe in the power of people to show up for one another, and I’m so grateful for the love and care that has brought me this far. Thank you for being part of my journey. Your support means everything to me, whether it’s through a donation, sharing this fundraiser, or cheering me on. Read more

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Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website?

Why GoFundMe Articles and URLs Appear on Our Website and How We Support Other GoFundMe Campaigns

At LFEBridge Foundation, we are dedicated to creating a platform where individuals and organizations can maximize their fundraising efforts. As part of our commitment to supporting a wide range of causes, we incorporate articles and URLs from GoFundMe into our website. Here’s why you might see GoFundMe content on our site, how it benefits the fundraising community, and our relationship with GoFundMe:

1. Amplifying Reach for Fundraising Campaigns

• Increased Visibility: By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our platform, we help increase the visibility of various fundraising campaigns. This additional exposure can attract more donors and supporters, helping campaigns achieve their goals more quickly.

• Cross-Promotional Opportunities: Highlighting campaigns from GoFundMe allows us to support a broader spectrum of causes and connect with a wider audience. This cross-promotion benefits both the campaign organizers and potential donors looking for causes to support.

2. Supporting Campaign Growth

• Advertising and Promotion: We understand the importance of visibility in successful fundraising. By showcasing GoFundMe campaigns, we provide an advertising platform that helps these campaigns reach potential donors who might not have discovered them otherwise.

• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with GoFundMe and featuring their campaigns on our site strengthens the fundraising ecosystem, ensuring that worthwhile causes receive the attention and support they deserve.

3. Expanding Donor Networks

• Broader Donor Base: Featuring a variety of campaigns from different platforms helps diversify and expand the donor base. This means more people can learn about and contribute to a variety of causes, ultimately driving higher engagement and donations.

• Enhanced Outreach: By integrating GoFundMe content, we help campaigns tap into new networks and communities, broadening their reach and potential impact.

How We Help Other GoFundMe Campaigns Grow

1. Featured Campaigns Section

• Highlighting Noteworthy Campaigns: We have a dedicated section on our website where we feature noteworthy GoFundMe campaigns. This not only gives these campaigns a spotlight but also encourages visitors to explore and contribute to them.

• Rotating Features: To ensure a diverse range of campaigns get visibility, we regularly rotate the featured campaigns. This continuous update keeps the content fresh and engaging for our audience.

2. Social Media Promotion

• Sharing Across Platforms: We share selected GoFundMe campaigns on our social media channels to reach a broader audience. Our followers, in turn, can share these posts, amplifying the reach even further.

• Engagement Strategies: Utilizing effective engagement strategies, such as storytelling and compelling visuals, we enhance the appeal of these campaigns, driving more traffic and donations.

3. Email Newsletters

• Campaign Highlights: Our email newsletters often include highlights of impactful GoFundMe campaigns. By doing so, we bring these causes directly to the inboxes of our subscribers, encouraging more people to get involved and donate.

• Donor Updates: We keep our donors informed about the progress and success of the campaigns they have supported, fostering a sense of community and continued engagement.

LFEBridge Foundation's Independence

It’s important to clarify that LFEBridge Foundation is an independent entity and is not part of or affiliated with GoFundMe. While we feature and support GoFundMe campaigns on our site, we operate as a separate foundation dedicated to collecting donations for various causes, similar to GoFundMe. Many of these causes are displayed on our website to provide donors with a wide range of options to support.

Conclusion

By featuring GoFundMe articles and URLs on our website, LFEBridge Foundation supports a wide array of fundraising campaigns, helping them gain the visibility and donations they need to succeed. Through our promotional efforts and strategic partnerships, we aim to create a robust and supportive environment for all fundraising initiatives.

For more information on how we support fundraising campaigns or to explore featured campaigns, visit https://LFEBridge.com or contact us at support@lfebridge.com.