West Brom stars bring smiles to faces during hospital visits - WATCH and PICTURES
Albion players treated poorly children to an early Christmas present when they paid surprise visits to two Black Country hospital.
Stars from the Baggies team visited the children's wards at Sandwell Hospital in West Bromwich and Russells Hall in Dudley – handing out gifts and signing shirts.
Footballers Chris Brunt and Gareth McAuley said it was great to help put smiles on patient's faces at this difficult time this year.
They attended Sandwell Hospital with fellow teammates Claudio Yacob and Salomón Rondón.
Patient Stan Green, aged nine, who was being treated on Lyndon Ground ward at Sandwell General, said meeting the players was 'a dream come true'.
Gareth McAuley said: "It's humbling but very rewarding for the people we come and see and also for ourselves as well. It's great to give a little back and to see smiling faces at somewhere like a hospital is always nice, to try and make a difference.
"You can have a lot of things but sometimes you can't control your health, you take it for granted. It's a hard time for families but we can come down here and take their minds off it for a minute, make their kid smile, make the parents smile, and it makes a huge difference for people. It's a pleasure to help people at a time when it's difficult."
Midfielder Chris Brunt said: "It is good to come down here and give something back. We come to the hospital every year. Being in hospital isn't the greatest place to be at Christmas, and if we can help break up the time they spend here by coming along and putting a smile on the patients' faces then it is great.
"I have got young kids of my own who have been in hospital, not with anything serious, and isn't nice."
Acting Chief Nurse Elaine Newell added: "We are always very grateful to the West Bromwich Albion Football Team for their continued generous support of our young patients at Christmas time."
Four televisions were handed out to the children's wards of both hospitals – courtesy of Crescent Press.
Matt Phillips and Craig Dawson visited Russells Hall and met Wayne Clarke and son Jack Clarke, five, from Tipton.
Dr Paul Harrison, acting chief executive at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: "No child wants to spend Christmas in hospital away from their home and loved ones, so it's wonderful when their stay over the festive period with us can be made a little more pleasant."
