HOUSTON -- When he isn't in the hospital undergoing aggressive chemotherapy treatments or having blood work, scans or doctors' visits, David Quessenberry is with the Houston Texans.
He'll get to do it in a big way Thursday night.
Before the Texans face the Colts, Quessenberry will be an honorary captain, having just completed his sixth round of chemo. The Texans will donate $100,000 to the Lymphoma Research Foundation in his name, the proceeds of the sales of T-shirts made in Quessenberry's honor.
"Going out for the coin toss will be awesome," Quessenberry said in a phone interview. "My biggest thing is raising awareness for the young adults of America to understand what lymphoma is, to understand it's about getting diagnosed early so you can attack it and beat it and live a long, healthy life afterward."
Quessenberry, who turned 24 in August, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin T lymphoblastic lymphoma in June. He experienced shortness of breath at a practice, and Texans trainer Geoff Kaplan suggested he see a doctor after observing his symptoms.
When he did, doctors discovered a buildup of fluid in his lungs that could have caused him to drown on the practice field. Further testing revealed the cancer. He began treatment shortly thereafter at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
"The cancer mass has shrunk significantly from my first biopsy," Quessenberry said. "But it's still there, and we're still treating it."
Support from the Texans has helped him. Two teammates -- center Chris Myers and left tackle Duane Brown -- helped launch the T-shirt campaign, selling shirts Quessenberry helped design with a logo that says "Texans for DQ."
It's not uncommon to see players, coaches and other staff members wearing those shirts around the facility.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano reached out to have an "Indianapolis for DQ" shirt created. Pagano, a leukemia survivor, wore it during a preseason practice and has helped Quessenberry throughout his treatments.
When he can, Quessenberry is at the facility, attending meetings and taking notes.
"The other day I looked up, we're in a team meeting, and he was sitting there," Texans coach Bill O'Brien said. "It's unbelievable. He's there, and he's going through the chemotherapy. He just loves his teammates. He loves football.
"He's a tough guy. Here's a guy that practiced with that for about four or five days before he actually said something was wrong with him. That's tough; that's just a unique person. He comes from a great family, and we love to see him around. I know the fans will love seeing that on Thursday night."