Jon Lester bonds with a kid over cancer

Photo from Jon Lester's Twitter page
Conor Frederick (@ConorJF1016)
Contributing Writer

Most of us know cancer is a cause very close to Jon Lester's heart, as he beat it earlier in his career. But what some of us didn't know is that Jon Lester bonded with a kid in Los Angeles who was suffering from cancer named Zein Youssuf. According to Fox News, their meeting was arranged by the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation when the Red Sox in LA, and they hit it off. Lester told him that cancer was hard, according to Fox News, but said nothing else can stop you after.

“Was it hard?” Lester said. “Yeah, it was hard. But you know, I think it helps you later. Once it’s over, nothing else holds you down. Is it hard for you?”

Tweet from Jon Lester's Twitter account from October:



Zein certainly isn't the only kid Jon Lester has helped, but since the 2 met, Zein has been very motivated, his father told Fox.

It's always great to hear a story like this because it reminds us that athletes (some, anyway) genuinely care about using their influence to make a positive impact in the community. All the best, Zein, and a speedy recovery.