When Iffie Boulogiane and her late husband, Jim, planned their estate gifts, they reflected on their lives, the health challenges they both endured, and the institutions that had a profound impact on their journey.

Remembering their parents, the Boulogianes considered how great accomplishments often begin with humble beginnings. Both of their parents moved from Greece to the United States, where they established small businesses, raised loving families, and instilled the values of hard work and generosity that would guide Iffie and Jim throughout their lives.

The Boulogianes remain deeply grateful to their parents for the opportunities they were given — opportunities that allowed them to pursue their dreams. They led remarkable lives, building busy careers in science, business, and finance that took them around the globe. Those early lessons in hard work and generosity stayed with them, shaping how they hoped to make a difference for others.

“No matter how hard he worked, he always wanted to help someone else,” Jim shared in 2015 of his father, who started his career selling fruits and vegetables. “As I got older, I knew I had that spirit in me, too.”

When faced with serious health challenges, including several life‑threatening diagnoses, they sought the best care in the world — care they found at Mass General Brigham. Their experiences deepened their belief in the power of exceptional medicine and strengthened their desire to support the institutions that played such a critical role in their lives.

Legacies of Gratitude

As longtime patients of both Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital — the founding academic medical centers of Mass General Brigham — the Boulogianes choose to include both hospitals in their estate plans. Their gifts honor the exceptional physicians who made such a profound difference in their lives by establishing a scholar position to support the Department of Urology and by creating a research award within the Mass General Brigham Research Institute. Together, these gifts reflect the Boulogianes’ commitment to investing in young physicians and researchers — ensuring a strong future for Mass General Brigham and the patients it serves.

“We believe in opportunities, because we have been given many,” Jim shared in 2015. “We want to do the same for young doctors and researchers.”

As generous donors to both Mass General and the Brigham, the couple has been recognized by each hospital’s legacy society, the Phillips Society and Brigham Legacy Society, which celebrate visionary supporters who include the hospitals as part of their estate plans.

“Giving gives me a sense of satisfaction that someday, beyond my lifetime, somebody might get something back — an extra ten years of life, or the opportunity to see their children get married. I hope this legacy will create new lives for a lot of people,” says Mrs. Boulogiane.

Steadfast Support for a Bright Future

Today, the two hospitals where the Boulogianes received their care are united as Mass General Brigham. Rather than navigating care at separate, competing institutions, patients can now access world-class care across every member institution of Mass General Brigham.

“I’ve been continuously cared for at Mass General Brigham for years now, and, while some of the staff has changed, the standard of care is maintained,” says Mrs. Boulogiane. “From the doctors and nurses, to the people behind the desk, to the cleaning staff — they all do what they do best, and they do it as a team.”

In carrying their parents’ legacy forward — from humble beginnings to lives defined by generosity — the Boulogianes’ bequests now create those same opportunities for others, ensuring that collaborative, research‑infused care continues to drive Mass General Brigham’s excellence long into the future.

 To learn more about including Mass General, the Brigham or other Mass General Brigham institutions in your estate plans, please contact Kathleen S. Duffy, assistant vice president of gift planning, at giftplanning@bwh.harvard.edu or 617-424-4326.