The First Night Project

A cancer diagnosis changes everything. For teenagers, life is still measured in small, near things—next weekend’s plans, a call with a friend after school, the quiet rhythm of ordinary days. When a diagnosis pulls them out of that world, the loss of those ordinary moments can feel overwhelming. 

At glassybaby, supporting organizations that bring comfort during difficult moments has always been part of our story. One partnership we are especially proud of is with The First Night Project, a nonprofit founded by teen cancer survivor Harry to help make a young patient’s first nights in the hospital a little more bearable. 

When Harry was diagnosed with Stage 4 Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in March of 2020, that rhythm stopped. The days that followed were filled with chemotherapy, surgeries, and hospital stays that stretched far beyond what he had ever imagined. 

What stayed with Harry most clearly were those first nights in the hospital. 

Hospitals are designed for care, and for the staff that is always the priority. But as a teenager, Harry noticed how hard comfort could be to find. In a children’s hospital, many things are meant for much younger patients—games, toys, and books for small children, even baby soap in the showers. The smallest details remind you that you are far from home, and for a teenager old enough to understand the gravity of what is happening, those first nights can feel heavy with uncertainty. 

During treatment, Harry was granted a Make-A-Wish. When the social worker asked what he wanted, he struggled to answer. Travel was complicated during the pandemic, and the traditional wishes didn’t quite resonate. Instead, the conversation turned to something else: sometimes patients choose to use their wish to give something back. 

Harry thought about those nights in the hospital—the discomfort, and the small things that added up when everything already felt overwhelming. He began to imagine what might have made that moment just a little easier. 

From that reflection, The First Night Project was born. 

Each care backpack includes thoughtful comforts: a memory foam pillow and blanket to soften a hospital bed, toiletries that feel more grown-up than baby soap, and gift cards to nearby restaurants so teens can enjoy something familiar during a long stay. 

At the center of the backpack is something more personal—a letter from Harry. 

Written not from sympathy but from experience, the letter offers teens entering treatment a quiet recognition: someone else has been here before; 

“I started The First Night Project because there is nothing that would make me happier than knowing I helped make change where change is so incredibly overdue. I have been in your shoes, and while I will never live the same life as you or go through the exact same events, I will do everything in my power to empathize where I can. 

It’s a long road ahead, and not every part is paved smoothly. But I have seen the strength in the eyes of every kid who has walked the halls behind those glass doors. Each soul is thrust into a world of fear, pain, and above all, life-altering unfairness. You will get through this—it just takes a little hope, a lot of perseverance, and some time.” 

At the end of the letter, Harry shares an email address where other teens are welcome to reach out if they “just want to talk about what’s on your mind.” 

Today, Harry and his family continue the project through a nonprofit that raises funds to deliver these backpacks to hospitals caring for teenage cancer patients. What began as one wish has grown steadily. The First Night Project is now supporting teen patients in five hospitals across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. 

The response from other teens has been deeply meaningful—small messages that speak to how much those first moments of comfort can matter. 

For Harry, messages like these are a quiet reminder of why the project exists—to make the first night in a hospital room feel just a little less heavy for the teenager who finds themselves there next. Those who would like to help continue that kindness can support the project through donations, allowing more backpacks to reach teens beginning their own difficult journey. Please learn more about The First Night Project here .