About Me

 Greetings! I am Dr. Satyanarayan (Satya) Hegde, a dedicated pediatric pulmonologist with a focus on conditions such as asthma, respiratory allergies, sleep disorders in children, pneumonia, chronic cough, and other breathing and lung-related issues. If you or your child could benefit from my expertise, I invite you to visit [Access Pediatric](https://accesspediatric.com/).

Born and raised in a picturesque village nestled within the western mountain range of India, I was surrounded by lush rainforests teeming with biodiversity. However, access to healthcare was a challenge, with the nearest pediatrician an hour's drive away and a subspecialist several hours away in a major city. This early exposure to the barriers in accessing healthcare shaped my career path.

After nearly eight years in the British National Health System (NHS), where patients often waited months to see a specialist, I moved to the United States in 2006. I completed my pulmonology fellowship at the renowned Arkansas Children’s Hospital and relocated to Gainesville, FL in 2011, which I now call home. 

Motivated to address this issue, I co-founded Access Pediatric in 2023. The journey to establish Access Pediatric began in 2019, but was delayed due to my health challenges, the Covid-19 pandemic, and other systemic barriers. In 2020, I was diagnosed with a large chest tumor, later identified as a thymoma. The surgery resulted in the paralysis of my left vocal cord and diaphragm, affecting the function of my left lung. The thymoma recurred in my left lung in 2022, necessitating another surgery and radiation therapy. Despite these challenges, I have regained most of my voice and continue to live with half of my lung capacity, which is sufficient for me to continue my journey, albeit at a slower pace.

These life events have only made me a stronger physician and a more resilient individual. The entrepreneurial journey is filled with twists and turns, ups and downs, and unexpected obstacles. It requires the patience and perseverance of a spider, constantly weaving and re-weaving its web to catch its prey.