On Feb. 8, 2022, Ben Russell thrust his shovel into a pile of dirt, marking the ceremonious beginning of the construction process for the new Benjamin Russell Center for Advanced Care. The new healthcare facility finished construction late last June and is slated to receive its first patient July 29.

The 26,000 square-foot facility is the result of a $25 million donation from Ben and Luanne Russell – the largest in the history of Russell Medical – and is located near the existing Russell Medical Center on U.S. Route 280. The facility will be home to specialties never-before seen in the Russell Medical System, such as geriatrics, rheumatology, endocrinology, podiatry and psychiatry. The creation of these offices will see many patients in Alexander City and surrounding cities forgo long drives to metro areas to receive specialized care – drives that are weekly occurrences for those in a more consistent need of care.