A Barrow man who died of a rare form of cancer is set to make a difference to the lives of others who are fighting the disease.

Gareth Brown died in 2017 at the age of 28 after developing pheochromocytoma, an uncommon form of the disease affecting the adrenal glands.

His family raised money to fund the creation of a room in the oncology unit at Furness General Hospital – and the room has now been named after Gareth as a mark of his lasting legacy in the community.

Gareth’s sister, Gemma Brown, said: “The family was overwhelmed to visit Gareth’s Room at the hospital.

“When we started the fundraising this wasn’t something we imagined would happen – this is so much more than we expected.

“Gareth was all about everybody else, so he would have loved how much of a difference the room makes to patients.

“He was such a positive person, and this will help other people to have a positive experience while they’re going through such a difficult time.”

The room features ‘Visualite’ illuminated ceiling panels showing calming images for patients.

Oncology unit manager Jayne Bickerstaff said: “Gareth’s Room is used for oncology patients when they are having their PICC lines inserted.

“A PICC line is inserted into a vein in the patient’s arm to given them their chemotherapy treatment.

“The procedure can be quite difficult for patients, and the illuminated ceiling panels are proven to ease stress and anxiety.

“We’re very proud to have named the room in Gareth’s honour, and grateful for all the generous donations that have helped us to make treatment more comfortable for our patients.”

Family and friends of Gareth have raised tens of thousands of pounds for the oncology unit, has been raised so far through a number of activities including sponsored triathlons, the Keswick to Barrow Walk, a football tournament, race nights, children’s dancing shows and more.

Gareth’s father Steve and mother Karen recently visited the unit to see the room and the newly-unveiled plaque bearing Gareth’s name.

UHMBT non-executive director Adrian Leather said: “It’s lovely to see Gareth’s memory honoured through the naming of this room.

“We are very grateful to Gareth’s family for their contribution to the oncology unit, which we hope will help our patients feel more comfortable during their treatment.”