Family and friends of a talented young musician who died from a rare, aggressive form of cancer, have produced a music CD in his memory.

Sam McDonald, 17, of Moorlinch, near Glastonbury, who died in 2007, also features in the recordings, some of which are his own compositions.

Launched last Saturday at a live music event held at Stawell Village Hall, the CD, Play It Again, Sam and Friends, was unveiled to over 200 guests to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust South West Appeal.

During Sam's battle with cancer he found great solace in his love for music and the guitar, making a music CD a suitable dedication. The CD is a compilation of 14 songs composed by Sam and his friends when he was still alive and tracks by local Glastonbury bands, friends and family written for Sam, including a bonus track written by his father, Kevin McDonald. Only six tracks are covers.

Whilst the care he received in hospital was of a high standard, the facilities available for teenagers and young people were limited. Consequently Sam's parents and brother, Ross, wish to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust to help improve the facilities available for other young cancer patients in the region.

Jane McDonald, Sam's mother, said: "Being a teenager is difficult enough, but having to cope with cancer and missing out on growing up with your friends is very hard. Sam often referred to his stays in hospital as "being in the slammer". He was always polite and helpful to staff but became very insular and remote – treating it like a prison sentence. The smell of the hospital food intensified his nausea.

"We believe that if Sam had been treated in a Teenage Cancer Trust unit it would have had a strong positive psychological impact on him. The few times he was with other teenage cancer patients during treatment he was a different person, the whole experience being less frightening and lonely.

"Working on this project with Sam's friends has been a pleasure and the CD is a wonderful tribute."

The Teenage Cancer Trust South West Appeal launched earlier this year. Working with University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and South West Specialised Commissioning Group, the aim is to raise £1 million in order to fund services and facilities solely for young people with cancer aged between 16 and 24 in the South West.

The charity, which currently has 10 specialist teenage cancer units around the country, provides facilities that are designed to give teenagers the very best chance of a positive outcome, providing an environment where teenagers can meet others in a similar situation.

In the South West, Teenage Cancer Trust will hope to secure a specialist unit, a Family Support Network for parents and siblings and an education team to visit schools to teach pupils about healthy living and cancer awareness.

The CD is on sale for £8 per copy; to order visit www.teenagecancertrust.org. It will also be available in the UK from iTunes after July 2.