Is there a doctor in town? Sugar Grove finally can say 'yes'

Sugar Grove has a doctor, perhaps the first one in the history of the village.

Hem Aggarwal, who is certified in both family practice and in holistic medicine, opened the Sugar Grove Health Center last month.

Aggarwal takes patients of all ages. He provides pediatric and adult care and gynecological care, but not obstetrics.

"My goal is to make this a comprehensive, high-quality primary care clinic," Aggarwal said. There is a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. with an open house until 2 p.m. Saturday at his office at 217 Capitol Drive, Unit B, behind the Jewel-Osco Store on Route 47.

His practice will include holistic medicine.

"People ask me what holistic medicine is," Aggarwal said. "I tell them it's anything that is not conventional medicine, including homeopathy. But I became very interested in nutrition and essential vitamins, and nutritional counseling is what I'm using in my practice."

Aggarwal, who lives in Aurora, said he found Naperville and Aurora too "congested" when he was ready to open a practice

While checking out other areas, he stopped to fill his car with gas in Sugar Grove.

"I saw this lady, I don't know who she was," he recalled. "I asked her if she could tell me about the area. She was so enthusiastic, she must have talked to me about 15 or 20 minutes. When I found out there was no doctor in town, I thought this is the best place for me."

Aggarwal could have opened an office elsewhere right away, but he waited for 18 months in order for the Sugar Grove professional building to be built.

Aggarwal grew up in India where he attended medical school in Dehli. He came to the U.S. in 1997 and did research and clinical work for two and a half years at Cook County Hospital, now John Stroger Hospital.

He went to the University of Iowa in Iowa City in 2000 to complete his internship and residency in family practice, a program he says is one of the top five in the nation.

Aggarwal worked in Iowa for three years before moving back to Illinois and has lived in Aurora for about a year.

Aggarwal's office is open five days a week and he is considering Saturday hours. Residents have always had to travel to St. Charles, Batavia, Geneva and elsewhere in order to see a doctor. It appears Aggarwal is welcome in Sugar Grove.

"It's a service that a lot of residents have been asking for," Village President Sean Michels said. "We're very fortunate to have someone with his credentials. It's a great fit for the community."

Aggarwal may be Sugar Grove's first doc. There is no mention of a doctor coming to Sugar Grove in the short history on the village Web site.

Former trustee Joe Wolf, who moved to Sugar Grove in 1960, says he does not recall another physician being in the village.

"I am proud to be the first primary care physician of Sugar Grove," Aggarwal said.