Although he's a young man at 26 years old, Boston southpaw Jon Lester already has a remarkable list of accomplishments under his belt.

He was the winning pitcher in the final game of the 2007 World Series. He threw a no-hitter the following season.

And, of course, he beat cancer.

Before notching those milestone moments and becoming a key member of the Red Sox rotation, Lester faced a huge scare when he was diagnosed with lymphoma late in the 2006 season.

But the budding ace met his challenge head-on, undergoing chemotherapy treatments in the offseason to attack the dreaded disease and reclaim his health. When he returned to a big league mound in the second half of '07, he was better than ever.

Lester realizes that his success story not only worked out well for Red Sox Nation, it also serves as a source of inspiration for anyone facing tough times.

"You can't deem yourself a leader," said Lester. "I think that's something that people give you that responsibility. I work hard and try to do my best, and if people consider that being a leader, then that's great, I'm just going to continue to do that."

Given what he's conquered to emerge as a great pitcher and voice for perseverance, it's clear the "leader" label rests as comfortably on his shoulders as a Boston uniform.