Morgan a Young Adult Survivor You Must Know

Morgan Newman shares her journey with cancer on this week’s episode of the Cancer Education Series. Morgan is a cervical cancer survivor and currently serves as the Community Engagement Liaison for a cancer advocacy organization called Cervivor. 

Morgan’s cancer journey began when she was just 24 years old. Her only symptom was bleeding following intercourse.  When her annual pap test came back abnormal for the first time, she was told to come back for a colposcopy, and then referred to a gynecologic oncologist. There, she went through testing and a biopsy before being diagnosed with a form of cervical cancer called endocervical adenocarcinoma. Morgan describes the feeling of being diagnosed, “... everything in the room just stopped.” She underwent chemotherapy, external radiation, and internal radiation. 

Morgan’s reality of her initial cancer diagnosis: being visibly sick, hiding the cause and emotions, missing work for appointments and treatments, feelings of shame and self-blame, the immense pain felt during an internal radiation experience, and being stripped of her fertility. During a follow-up scan, spots were found in her lungs that proved to be cancer upon further testing. Her experience with cancer shifted during this time, “There was no hiding what was wrong with me. I had cancer and I was bald, I was physically weak, emotionally I wasn’t able to really process through a whole lot until treatment was done.” After treatment, she had a complete response, meaning there was no evidence of disease. 

Now, Morgan is involved with Cervivor and is a patient advocate. She builds relationships in her community, and says yes to every opportunity she can to learn more about cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV). She encourages other cancer survivors to get involved with their local partners and their community. 

The financial burden of treatment can be a huge stressor for many patients, especially young adults who are new to their careers and adulthood. Morgan faced sizable medical bills, and wasn't aware patient navigators or social workers could help alleviate financial strain. Morgan learned after treatment that HPV was the cause of her cervical cancer. She hadn’t been vaccinated for HPV as a teenager. The HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, cancer of the penis, and oropharynx cancer. Screening for cervical cancer is just as crucial as prevention. Establishing a primary care doctor and getting pap tests at the recommended interval will ensure earliest detection if cancer is present. When found at the earliest stage, cervical cancer is highly curable. 

To hear more about Morgan’s story, check out this week’s episode of the Cancer Education Series on Above + Beyond Cancer’s YouTube channel. Learn more about cervical cancer prevention here. 

Blog written by:

Shona Heywood

(she/her/hers)

BS Administrative Management, MBA Marketing

shonaheywood@gmail.com