Thanks to the combined efforts of the Gloucester Breast Cancer Support Group and the Gloucester Community Shop, the hospital can now purchase an Accuvein.

It's a vein finding device that uses a non-contact vein illumination system to help healthcare professionals to find the best vein for IV starts and blood draws.

As collapsed veins are common among people undergoing long term treatment, like chemotherapy, it seemed like the perfect gift for the cancer support group to help make happen.

Initially, the support group had contacted the hospital's Acting Health Service Manager, Wade Smith about what equipment was needed at the hospital with the intention of purchasing the item.

Unfortunately, it turned out that the support group's current constitution does not allow for that type of cash spend, so the group enlisted the help of Gloucester Community Shop.

The community shop is well known to the support group and within the community for its continued generosity in donating all of its op shop profits back to the community.

The breast cancer group themselves have been a recipient several times over the years.

For the shop, it was a simple "yes" to provide the near $7000 to the hospital for the purchase of the Accuvein.

"We are very grateful to the community shop for covering the cost of the purchase," support group secretary Carol Bennett said.

Carol was joined by support group member Judith Pittman along with Di Relf and Cedric Salter from the community shop for a special visit to the hospital on Wednesday March 3 to handover the cheque to a very grateful Wade.

"It's hard to stretch the budget to afford items like this," Wade said.

Although the hospital doesn't provide cancer treatment, it is a place where people go to recover after treatment, to get blood work done and for palliative care, all of which can require access to a patient's veins.

The Accuvein can improve the ability to find a viable vein on the first try and reduce patient pain and reduce procedure time.

According to the hospital's Nursing Unit manager for acute care and the emergency department Debbie Buckton, the device will make a world of difference.

"My staff are going to love it," Debbie smiled.

The Gloucester Breast Cancer Support Group offers financial and emotional support to all local women suffering from any form of cancer, not just breast cancer. For more information about the group, contact president Diana Rosenbaum on 6558 1515 or Carol Bennett on 6558 4333.

The Gloucester Community Shop is a non-profit organisation, raising money for the community through its Op Shop at 41 King Street. For more information, contact chairman Cedric Salter on 0409 581 014 or secretary/treasurer Di Relf on 0437 937 936.