CHARLEY BURTON: I'm Charley Burton. I'm a native of Charlottesville, Virginia. There's a picture of me as a little kid, and you can't tell that I wasn't a little boy. 

I always knew. My body just didn't match my mind. And I pushed that in for the next 30, 40 years until I became 50 years of age and started my journey. 

REAGAN THOMPSON: When I first met Charley, he was pretty frustrated. He had hit a lot of barriers getting appropriate transgender care and had given up on our system. 

CHARLEY BURTON: And so when I go to the hospital, there's this level of anxiety that builds up in me every time. But I've been lucky because I've had a Reagan Thompson in my corner. She truly wants to know, what can she do as a medical professional to make my life better? 

REAGAN THOMPSON: I think it's super important to listen to your patients and try to figure out what they're angry at. 

CHARLEY BURTON: She has seen me at my lowest. And she now sees me where I'm at today. 

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CHARLEY BURTON: Today's the day that I have my top surgery. Top surgery is the removal of the breasts. It's another stage in my transition. So I'm a little nervous today. Nervous and excited. 

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JT STRANIX, MD: It's impossible not to like Charley when you meet him. We talk about what the goals are for surgery. His, in particular, were to have a chest that was congruent with his male identity. 

SPEAKER 1: And can you tell me what Dr. Stranix is going to do? And Dr. Sopata? 

CHARLEY BURTON: Yeah, we're doing a double mastectomy. 

SPEAKER 1: OK. 

CHARLEY BURTON: The top surgery. 

SPEAKER 1: Yup. 

CHARLEY BURTON: And total hysterectomy. 

CARRIE SOPATA, MD: Trans patients should feel comfortable coming to any location in UVA and knowing that they're going to get the right care and the best care. 

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CHARLEY BURTON: There was this one nurse. One night, she came in and she just wanted to know so the next person that comes on her floor that has had top surgery or is trans, what could she do better? And she asked some of the most beautiful, poignant questions. It was just total respect. 

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JT STRANIX, MD: In my mind, a successful gender-affirming surgery is one that makes a patient feel more comfortable with their gender identity and really improves their overall well-being. 

CHARLEY BURTON: The first day that I was able to take the ACE bandages off, I saw the chest that I've always wanted and it was-- I'm getting emotional now. It was just 10 times more than what I thought it would be. 

REAGAN THOMPSON: And now Charley is a very happy person with very few complaints, and has a desire to fix a system that is driving him to be more involved in the transgender community. 

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CHARLEY BURTON: I'm becoming the man that I want to be. I am confident in who I am, and I never thought I'd ever be there. 

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