SIXTEEN years ago the Jamaica Observer shared the story of a then 16-year-old Mario Spencer, who had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma — a form of bone cancer — in his foot and was desperately seeking support to undergo a life-changing surgery. Today, cancer-free, married, and thriving as a digital marketer, he is fulfilling a promise made to God by publishing a debut memoir.

Spencer said the memoir — A New Beginning: A Journey Through Cancer, Faith and Resilience — chronicles his journey from one of the darkest periods of his life to a renewed sense of purpose, with each chapter reflecting the faith that carried him through his battle with cancer. He said every page tells the story of how God showed up for him and performed miracles that even stunned medical practitioners, leading him to a new beginning when he thought he was at the end of the road.

The 33-year-old, in an update on his condition, shared that he was declared cancer-free in 2011. He said he did chemotherapy for one year and his tumour miraculously shrunk to the point that it could be removed. He then underwent surgery to replace half of his shin bone. Though cancer-free after the successful surgery, he said he was told by doctors that his type of cancer was known to return after two years, but it never did.