[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16204]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. RUSSELL DOHNER

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I want to recognize ``a wonderful 
life.'' Much like the movie starring Jimmy Stewart, it is the story of 
a small town boy who dreamed of big adventures in a big city, but who 
discovered his life's calling not far from home.
  For nearly 60 years, Dr. Russell Dohner has dedicated his life to 
providing affordable healthcare to residents of Rushville--a rural 
community in western Illinois.
  Dr. Dohner grew up on a farm, not far from Rushville, one of seven 
children. He experienced seizures as a small boy, and it was his family 
doctor who stayed by his side and inspired him to enter the medical 
field. After high school, Dr. Dohner served in the Army during World 
War II, attended Western Illinois University, and then worked his way 
through Northwestern University Medical School.
  Although he hoped to move to a big city and work as a cardiologist, 
he knew Rushville, a city of just 3,200 people, needed a doctor. In 
1955 he opened an office there hoping to stay just a few years. That 
was 57 years ago. Today, little has changed in his Rushville office--
the nurses, the furniture, and the price of a visit. He charges 
patients just $5 a visit.
  He does not take health insurance, but at only $5 most of his 
patients can afford the visit. Even if someone cannot pay, he still 
helps them.
  Dr. Dohner barely makes enough money to pay his nurses, and he relies 
on income from his family's farm to make ends meet. However, one thing 
that helps keep the office overhead low is the lack of technology. 
There is no computer, no fax machine, and no answering machines. Five 
decades of records are kept on handwritten, 4-by-6 index cards.
  Dr. Dohner keeps his office open 7 days a week. On Sundays he stops 
in before going to church. He starts his day making rounds at 
Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville, he then takes patients at 
his office, and he ends the day with another round at the hospital. He 
may see as many as 120 patients a day. He works with patients on a 
first-come, first-serve basis. But, if it is an emergency Dr. Dohner 
lets them use the back door. And if patients are too sick to make the 
trip in, he will make a house call.
  Although he has no children of his own, he has delivered more than 
3,500 babies. This happens to be more people than the population of 
Rushville.
  Dr. Dohner puts patients before himself. He has never been on a 
vacation and cannot remember ever taking a day off. The only time he 
has closed down his office was when he suffered a heart attack and he 
himself needed medical care. Dr. Dohner has said, ``I have to take care 
of my patients first.''
  At age 87 and after nearly 60 years on the job, Dr. Dohner continues 
to provide the rural area with selfless service, hard work, and 
affordable healthcare. He does not seem to be slowing down much, and 
for that, the community is grateful.
  Dr. Russell Dohner is as a wonderful example of how one person's life 
can have a big impact on a small town.

                          ____________________