Ashley's MRKH Surgery Funds

My name is Ashley Tran, and I am diagnosed with a rare condition called MRKH, which stands for Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome. I received this news after my 16th birthday, when my family and doctor questioined why I never received my menstrual period. After having a CAT scan and MRI completed, the doctor determined that I did not have a uterus, and I went to a few gynocologists who determined I did not have a vaginal opening. Due to this, I will never be able to carry my own children. As a 16 year old teenager, this information took a large toll on my life. 

I tried to pretend that this didn't affect me, and that I was lucky to have a condition that didn't inhibit me from living daily life. But it was hard processing the fact that I would never be able to have children "normally," and the burden of explaining why I never received my menstrual period weighed heavily on me.   

Some more information on MRKH below

Vaginal agenesis is a congenital disorder of the reproductive system in females that affects approximately 1 in 5,000 females. In this disorder, the uterus and the vaginal canal do not develop properly during the pregnancy and the female is born with a very short vaginal canal or no vagina at all. The condition is typically not detected until puberty when the teenage female is delayed in getting her menses or it may be discovered with first attempts at having sex.

Since I am turning 18 soon, my parents and I believed that it was time for me to start looking at different options. After countless hours of searching through articles and blogs my parents and I found one specialist that lives in Beverly Hills that are qualified to perform the surgery.  

They can perform a surgery that will create a vaginal opening, allowing myself to be able to have an intimate relationship like any other woman would experience. It would give allow me to gain back a part of my life that I have been missing since birth and dramatically improve my quality of life. The surgery typically lasts 1-2 hrs and has a 96% success rate.

After a phone call to the surgeons office, we were devastated to find out the immense cost of the surgery. Since health insurance companies do not consider this "life threatening," there is a high chance that they will not cover any of the cost.  My parents and I were crushed, and were at a loss of words at the extensive price this procedure would cost us. 

After searching through different MRKH stories, I have found many examples of girls who have been able to use gofundme as a way to help alleviate some of the costs.  The cost of the surgery is $15,000, not including a consultation fee. We would be grateful for anything you can donate, no amount is too small. Thank you for helping my family and I come one step closer to achieving my goal and a happier future. 

Thank you for your support, 
Ashley Tran