Beginning in 1962, intestinal bypass surgery was performed on a limited number of obese patients. But due, in part, to a high rate of liver failure, these surgeries were abandoned and gave way to present-day gastric bypass surgeries.

Griffin resident Beth Kasulaitis had the ill-fated surgery in 1974.

“It was cutting-edge and very experimental at the time,” Kasulaitis said. “I was told liver failure and kidney failure were possibilities. For 35 years, I thought I was fine.”

She was not.

Since her Feb. 12 liver failure diagnosis, Kasulaitis has been hospitalized on four occasions and has suffered severe memory lapses.

Dr. Ranvir Singh, who she refers to as “God’s right hand,” informed her that she needed an immediate transplant and helped expedite her transfer to Piedmont Hospital’s transplant team.

Now she is waiting for a liver transplant, but time is not on her side. Neither is money.

“It came down to an issue of money,” Kasulaitis said.

The insurance at O’Charley’s, where she is employed, will cover only up to $110,000. Now she must raise $150,000 for the transplant, plus an additional $5,000 to $10,000 for post-transplant medications.

Frank Morgan, of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, has set up an account to help raise medication funds. Through carefully placed jars in businesses and a 110-ticket raffle for $5,000, they are hopeful the money can be raised.

To donate to the medication fund, call Morgan at 770-584-0329 or Kasulaitis’ husband, Al Kasulaitis, at 678-549-8161.

With regard to money needed for the actual surgery, Kasulaitis’ fellow church member, Bart Searcy, has established the “Bart Searcy Administrator for Beth Kasulaitis” account at United Bank.

According to Al Kasulaitis, Beth Kasulaitis’ doctors have told her she needs to have her transplant within 60 days, if at all possible.

“This money is not for anything but to save my life with the surgery,” Beth Kasulaitis said, explaining that she can’t even be put on the transplant list until the funds are in place.