Throughout his life, Johns Hopkins has been there for Robert “Bobby” Basil and his family. As a native of Washington, D.C., Basil grew up well aware of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. When his brother needed surgery to remove a tumor, he came to Johns Hopkins. And when Bobby needed care for an abnormal heart valve, he chose Johns Hopkins cardiologist Roger Blumenthal, M.D.
Today, Basil serves as the youngest member on the Johns Hopkins Cardiovascular Advisory Board. In 2019, he gave his first monetary gift to the advisory board’s Discovery and Education Fund in the form of a three-year leadership pledge — the very first pledge to the board endowment. He recently spoke with Pulse.
Q: Can you tell us about your experience as a patient at Johns Hopkins?
One of the first times I visited Dr. Blumenthal, he made it clear that he wanted me to understand my condition. This was empowering because if I could understand my health and the treatment, I felt like I could make decisions about both.
Q: What is it like to serve on the Cardiovascular Advisory Board?
It’s interesting. You learn about what’s being studied and researched — specific conditions, the various abnormalities and disease states. I was really impressed by the emphasis on cutting edge technology and the forward-thinking attitudes. We spend a lot of time talking about the patient experience too, which is critical.
Q: What made you want to make a pledge to the Cardiovascular Advisory Board Discovery and Education Fund?
This was a convergence of my personal experiences with an institution that’s personal to me. If I’m going to give, Johns Hopkins is an institution that I think merits giving to.
Q: How do you feel your giving is making an impact?
I see this endowment as an opportunity to help accelerate initiatives that the institution feels would yield long-term results for other cardiology and cardiac surgery patients, the community and the larger world of cardiac patients.
Q: What would you tell others considering a gift to the Heart and Vascular Institute?
I would tell them to do your homework and take your time, but Johns Hopkins has the intellectual capability and vision to affect things that others do not. They have made a difference in my life, my family’s life, and I know they will continue to make a difference in many people’s lives.
