More Americans survive cancer. But the psychological impacts can persist for years

Morgan Newman, a survivor of cervical cancer, at the Des Moines Public Library last December. Natalie Krebs/Iowa Public Radio hide caption

The cancer diagnosis came as a shock, disrupting Morgan Newman's carefully laid plans for launching her life. It was 2015, and she was working as a dental assistant in Des Moines, Iowa, while studying to become a social worker.

This story was produced in partnership with KFF Health News .

After an abnormal result on her Pap smear , her doctor brought her back in to check for abnormal tissue.

"I didn't think anything of it, because, you know, all my friends have had some sort of [abnormal result] like that, and they turned out to be okay," she said.

But during the follow-up exam, she started bleeding so heavily that they couldn't continue, she said.

"And so they had to stop, and they referred me to a gynecologic oncologist at that point."

Newman soon learned she had cervical cancer. She had just moved into her own apartment for the first time.