Jon Lester

Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester has proven himself to be a role model for more reasons than his stellar baseball career he is putting together in Major League Baseball. His biggest win to date occurred when he overcame anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a form of cancer that Jon sought chemotherapy for in 2006. Lester capped off his triumphant return to the Red Sox by winning the clinching game in the 2007 World Series against the Colorado Rockies.

After a 3-time all-state and league MVP career in high school, the left-hander was selected 57^th overall by the Boston Red Sox and worked his way through the farm system to eventually becoming a starter on the injury-leaden pitching staff of the Major League Red Sox. Jon set a Red Sox record by winning his first five games and earned a record of 7-2 before he was diagnosed with his treatable form of cancer. After his World Series winning season, he followed that performance with a no-hitter in the 2008 season against the Kansas City Royals. In 2013, Jon was the starter for Game 1 of the 2013 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, a series which the Red Sox won. Currently, Jon is playing for the Chicago Cubs.

Jon’s incredible story now gives him the opportunity to share in the fight with so many others who battle cancer each year. He and his wife Farrah created the NVRQT Foundation which partners with the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation to help inspire kids to never quit in their fight against cancer and encourage researchers to never quit working towards a cure. He also partnered with Charity Wines to create his own wine CabernAce cabernet which donates proceeds to the Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Jon’s home state of Washington where he was treated for his lymphoma. Sports Speaker Jon’s story continues to inspire and give hope to the many people that hear him, and he is only solidifying himself as one of the greats in both Red Sox and Major League Baseball history.