Robert Eads Health Project

In 1999, Robert Eads died of cancer after dozens of doctors in and around Atlanta refused to treat him. Robert was a female-to-male transsexual, and the cancer began in his ovaries. He died because of blatant discrimination, and because few doctors are knowledgeable about transgender issues.

We dedicate our work to his memory, that no transgendered person need die as a result of a lack of medical attention.

For the last seven years, the Southern Comfort Conference has been working to prevent this situation by providing health exams for transgender men and transmasculine people through the Robert Eads Health Project. This project coordinates with a local health clinic to pay for and facilitate examinations for a few dozen transgender men. The REHP coodinates with the clinic to establish a special day for us to receive health exams in an all transmasculine patient environment. The REHP along with the clinic's transgender liason has trained all of the staff who will be present. REHP participants will be transported by van from the hotel to the clinic. In recent years, REHP has been unable to keep up with the demand, so registration is on a first come first served basis. Registrations for the REHP are found in the online SCC registration form. 

--Registrations for the SCC 2008 REHP are full. After completing your conference registration you can be put on the waiting list by writing to REHP@sccatl.org--

The clinic provides a lower exam (pelvic exam, cervical sample) and a chest exam. These costs are covered by Southern Comfort. If you can afford to pay for them we ask that you make a donation during the registration process in order to extend help to others. Additional services and labs are available at a drastically reduced prices. The clinic will write you a prescription for testosterone provided you are already well established on it, or have a letter from a therapist; however, you must get blood tests. The clinic accepts cash, MasterCard, Visa, Discover and ATM check cards; they do not accept personal checks. A breakdown of financial information is listed below:    

Covered for REHP participants:

Hi-risk HPV (human papillomavirus) lower exam (recommended): $125  

Regular lower exam: $90  

Regular office visit:$60 (for those wanting to have a physical and meet with Nurse Practicioner, but who don't need an HPV test--this also applies to those who have had a hysterectomy and don't require the HPV test)

Additional services and labs:

Meeting with a Mental Health Professional: $25 (exams can be a stressful experience and in the past some participants have found this helpful)

Ultrasound: $120 (highly recommended, as this is the only foolproof way to detect certain cancers)

Testosterone Panel Blood draw: $50 (fasting)

Sexually transmitted diseases/infections blood draw panel: $100 (this includes Hepatitis B, C, Syphilis, Herpes Simplex Virus Type I & II, and a urine gonorrhea and chlamydia test.  Everything except HIV--this is not a fasting blood draw)

Ora-quick rapid HIV test: $35 (this is an oral swab that gives results in 20 minutes)

For more info on the REHP, contact: Mr. Marquise Vilson, REHP@sccatl.org

For more info on the clinic, contact: Mr. Jac Camp, jacc@feministcenter.org