Inventor of Operation board game can't afford his own surgery

In a sad and ironic twist the man who invented the much-loved board game 'Operation' is unable to pay for his own surgery.

John Spinello, 77, created the game that became a hit around the world 50 years ago but after selling the rights for only $500 he cannot afford the $28,000 he needs for oral surgery, The Huffington Post reports.

Despite his predicament the Illinois resident said he is not bitter about his situation.

"Look, everyone needs medical care," Spinello said.

"I prefer not to dwell on that aspect and focus more on the joy that the game has brought to so many over the years."

Friends of Spinello's have now launched a fundraising campaign to help pay Spinello's medical bills.

By Tuesday the effort had already raised more than $1300 and is running in tandem with another initiative, the Iloveoperation website, which is selling copies of the classic board game signed by its creator.

Spinello said when he was an industrial design student and first pitched the idea to toy making entrepreneur Marvin Glass, who gave the world fake vomit and the board game Mouse Trap, he was unimpressed with his prototype.

"I walked into his office and I put it on his desk. I said, 'You have to take this probe and go through the maze and see if you can complete it," the 77-year-old said.

Spinello said Glass was unenthusiastic until the wand touched the metal plate.

It went 'BLATTT' and a spark jumped out of the stylus," Spinello said.

"He threw [the stylus] up in the air and says, 'I love it! I love it!'"

Spinello said he was short of cash at the time and accepted Glass's offer of $500 for the concept and the promise of a job when he graduated from college.

Spinello said while the money eventually came after some calling around the job offer never eventuated.

Spinello is not entitled to royalties for the game that has been played by millions of children all over the world.

Source: Huffington Post