Significant Discount Offer on Galleri® Cancer Screening for Patients

September is Healthy Aging Month—a timely reminder that healthy aging isn’t simply about adding more years to our lives. It’s about making those years as healthy, active and fulfilling as possible. In recognition of Healthy Aging Month, Dr. Heidi Queen is encouraging a proactive approach to health that includes comprehensive care, preventive screening and, for eligible patients, access to special pricing on the Galleri® multi-cancer early detection blood test.

What Does Healthy Aging Really Mean?

There is a growing distinction in healthcare between lifespan and healthspan. Lifespan refers to how long we live; healthspan refers to how long we live in good health, with the ability to remain active and engaged in the things that matter to us. As we get older, the goal isn’t simply to count the candles on the birthday cake. It’s to preserve the health and vitality that allow us to enjoy them. And that begins with paying attention to our health before something goes wrong.  There is no single prescription for healthy aging. Instead, it is the result of many small and not-so-small choices made over time.

The Importance of Nutrition

Nutrition is one important piece. A diet centered around whole, minimally processed foods, vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, quality proteins, legumes, whole grains and nuts can provide a strong nutritional foundation for long-term health. Regular physical activity is another. Research continues to demonstrate an association between physical activity and better health outcomes as we age. Sleep, stress management and maintaining social and mental engagement matter, too.

What is Your Healthcare Strategy

But healthy aging also involves something that can be easy to overlook: having a healthcare strategy. Regular preventive care, appropriate health screenings, monitoring changes in metabolic and cardiovascular health, addressing hormonal changes when appropriate, and paying attention to risk factors can all become increasingly important as we move through midlife and beyond. This is one reason proactive healthcare can be so valuable. Instead of waiting for symptoms to become impossible to ignore, you and your physician can look at the bigger picture and identify opportunities to support your health along the way. That is an important part of the approach at Energize Health & Hormones.

Dr. Heidi Queen’s practice takes a comprehensive view of health, incorporating areas such as nutrition, exercise, hormone health, metabolic health and preventive care. The goal is not simply to treat an isolated symptom, but to understand where you are in your life and health journey—and what can be done now to help you remain healthy for the years ahead. And sometimes, proactive care means taking a closer look at something we would all prefer not to think about: cancer.

Why Cancer Screening Matters as We Age

We already know the importance of recommended cancer screenings such as mammograms, colonoscopies and skin examinations. These screenings remain essential because they are designed to detect specific cancers and, in many cases, can find disease before symptoms appear. But not every type of cancer has an established routine screening test. That is where multi-cancer early detection (MCED) testing comes into the conversation.

What Is the Galleri® Blood Test?

During September, Dr. Queen is offering her existing and potentially new patients a special price on the Galleri® blood test, a multi-cancer early detection test developed by GRAIL. Galleri® uses a blood sample to look for patterns in circulating DNA that may indicate the presence of cancer. When a cancer signal is detected, the test can also provide information that may help identify where that signal originated. According to the information provided by GRAIL, the test is designed to screen for signals associated with more than 50 types of cancer, including some for which there currently are no standard screening methods.

The test is generally intended for adults at higher risk of cancer, particularly those age 50 and older, although individual circumstances and risk factors may influence whether it is appropriate.

Is Galleri® a Replacement for Routine Cancer Screening?

It’s important to understand what Galleri® does and doesn’t do.

A multi-cancer early detection test does not replace recommended cancer screenings. A mammogram is still a mammogram, a colonoscopy is still a colonoscopy, and your physician may recommend other screenings based on your age, family history and individual risk factors.

What Can You Expect From the Galleri® Blood Test?

Rather, Galleri® can provide another layer of information, potentially looking for cancer signals that might otherwise be difficult to detect through standard screening alone.

Like any medical test, it also has limitations. A result indicating a possible cancer signal does not by itself diagnose cancer; additional diagnostic testing is necessary to determine whether cancer is actually present. And a negative result does not guarantee that cancer is absent. That is why having the test as part of an ongoing relationship with a physician is important.

A Simple Blood Draw With a Bigger Conversation Behind It

For patients who choose to have the Galleri® test, the process itself is relatively straightforward. A blood sample is collected and sent to GRAIL’s laboratory for analysis. Results are then reviewed with the physician, who can help determine whether additional evaluation is appropriate. But perhaps the bigger value of proactive screening is the conversation it creates.

Healthy aging isn’t about becoming obsessed with every possible health risk. It’s about being thoughtful about the risks that matter, understanding your options and making informed decisions about your health.

Healthy Aging Means Looking Ahead

September’s Healthy Aging Month is a good opportunity to take stock of where you are today—and consider what you can do to support your health in the years ahead. For some people, that may mean taking a fresh look at nutrition or exercise. For others, it may mean addressing hormonal changes, metabolic health or other concerns that have been pushed to the back burner. And for some, it may be time to consider whether additional cancer screening is appropriate.

If you’re an existing Energize Health & Hormones patient, September is an opportunity to ask Dr. Queen whether the Galleri® test makes sense for you and take advantage of the special September pricing. If you’re new to the practice, this may also be a good time to begin a conversation about your own long-term health goals and what proactive care could look like for you. Call (415) 548-7901 to learn more and to schedule your appointment today. Healthy aging doesn’t begin at a particular birthday. It begins with the decisions we make today.