Bully lights up hospital with blood kit

Through his charitable foundation the club's all-time leading goalscorer has presented staff at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital with a state-of-the-art 'vein finder'.

The device shines LED light onto a patient's skin illuminating veins which can otherwise be difficult for nurses and doctors to find. It is hoped the kit, which will be used in the hospital's A&E department, will prevent patients having bruises from where staff have needed several attempts to gain access.

Bully said: "This has given me a bit of peace of mind. When my mum and dad have had to use Russells Hall they had to have needles and they would sometimes come back with bruises in their arms.

"I was to keen to help with a way of getting around that and this kind of equipment can do that. When people get older you cannot see their veins so well so this should be a massive thing for a fantastic hospital."

The £4,000 device was donated by the Steve Bull Foundation from cash raised last year in a charity football match between staff from the A&E department and the hospital's IT staff.

The hospitals' fundraising team are holding a similar game at Stourbridge Football Club on September 27 and are hoping a team of Wolves legends will agree to take part.

After making the presentation, Bully spoke with the departments lead consultant Jo Taylor before speaking with staff including staff nurses Matthew Smith and Claire Boddison and support worker Paul Smith who are on the hospital's fundraising team.

Margaret Chawro, also part of the team, said the vein finder will also benefit those who are 'needle shy'.

"People tend to be shy of needles because have had previous experience where it has been difficult for staff to gain access and they have ended up with bruises," she explained.

"With this piece of equipment, those who are needle shy can see what is happening all the time."