October 19, 2025 • 5 mins
We spoke with Bob Fiore, President and Founder of the Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation, about the organization dedicated to helping people with epilepsy in any way, and the upcoming 400 Gallon Blood Drive on October 23.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning. Thank you for listening to Community Access. My
guest this morning is Bob Fiori, President and founder of
the Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation. Good morning, good morning, how
are you. I'm great, so happy to have you here.
You're such a great guy, always helping everybody out well.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
We try. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
You're welcome. For those who don't know about the Connecticut
Epilepsy Advocate Foundation, what does your organization aim to do?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Oh, the Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation are recognize five oh
one C three. We help people throughout the state of
living with epilepsy. We help veterans whether they have epilepsy
PTSD need help with prescription medications, anything we possibly can.
You know, we're a small organization, however, everything here is
(00:53):
completely volunteered. No one gets paid, but we do everything
we can to help those suffering from epilepsy.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Now, you're having what's called a four hundred gallon blood drive.
It's taking place on Thursday, October twenty third. Tell me
all about it. What's happening that day?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah? Thanks. Yeah. One of the things our organization does
is we sponsor and host blood drives. And this was
started because for decades people living with epileps you could
not donate the gift of life, and we found out
over ten years ago some not all can do. So
one of the biggest things is you have to be
seizure free for two years and you must get the
(01:34):
okay from your doctor. However, for everybody else that can
donate blood, you know, this is really a milestone for
our organization. We get to the four hundred gallon mark.
And no, it didn't all come for me because we've
asked that. People have asked that in the past. I'm like, no,
that's impossible. Oh you should have heard the people asking
(01:55):
me at the three hundred gallen blood drive and I said, no,
we can't do that. Be thinking, and it says, you
know what, give me a second. Took out the calculators.
I says, if I was able to donate the gift
of life six times a year for about eighty years,
I still wouldn't make it. Wow. So you see, getting
this type of achievement is really important. And if you
(02:18):
you goob it, Matt, So why don't we do this?
Those four hundred gallons they go out to a lot
of people.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So four hundred gallons, I think we were talking before
we started. Makes thirty two hundred pints.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yep, every pint goes to three people. So those thirty
two hundred pints will help nine six hundred people. That's
a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
When we want to do something, we put it together
and we do it right.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
You do do it right. You're so wonderful. And again
it's October twenty third from one to six pm. It's
the Milford Drive Donation Center that's located at four eighty
six Bridgeport Avenue in Milford. If you'd like to make
an appointment, you can go to redcrossblood dot org and
your website is ct EA dot org.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Right. The other beauty about jointing for the Red Cross.
You can also download the app at the app store
and you just punch in the zip code and the
ladies drivers will come over there. One quick thing. This
blood donation center is named after Taranova family, a family
who's helped the Red Cross in so many ways for
(03:30):
over thirty years, not only with blood donations out in
hurricanes and storms. Their family is up at the airport
at Hartford. Thing go by to the veterans when they
go to DC and when they come back. So they
put a lot into the community in the past three
generations of people.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
And as I understand, the first hour is already booked up.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yes it is. It is completely booked. That first hour
really gets filled and then.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Some and if somebody would like to volunteer or donate
to the Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation, will they just go
to the website.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, that's awesome. All they have to do is go
to the website and there's the about us page. The
contact information is there, the mailing address is there. It's
simple to cut a check and make a donation.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
And it's so simple to give blood for those who
may be a little bit concerned. There's nothing to it.
You just fill out this questionnaire, which is really beneficial
because you may have something going on that you didn't
even know. And as you're filling that out, they say, hey,
we noticed like your sugar might be up ark. You know,
it's a really wonderful thing. And then you're just a
little pinch and they give you a cookie in a
(04:45):
juice box or something afterwards to say thank you.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Definitely, I mean there's an assortment of goodies afterwards, whether
it's a cool drink, like you said, cookies and other
snacks there that just brings you back into it. But
one important thing we want people to know that the
day before the blood drive, and especially the morning before
you donate, you really have to be high traded. Make
(05:12):
sure your glue co level is up. Don't be afraid
to eat. It's okay to eat. You don't want to
go there empty and dry. That's the worst thing that
could happen.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
I'm speaking with Bob Fiori, president and founder of the
Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation. Again that blood drive Thursday, October
twenty third, one to six pm at the Milford Blood
Donation Center. That's for eighty six Bridgeport Avenue in Milford.
You can also go to redcrossblood dot org org and
their website ct dash EA dot org. Bob, thank you
(05:44):
so much for being here and for serving the community.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Thank you so much for having us. We truly appreciate it.
Hope to see you at one of our blood drives someday.
Are just together at lunch, dinner dot the Bona
Good morning. Thank you for listening to Community Access. My
guest this morning is Bob Fiori, President and founder of
the Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation. Good morning, good morning, how
are you. I'm great, so happy to have you here.
You're such a great guy, always helping everybody out well.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
We try. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
You're welcome. For those who don't know about the Connecticut
Epilepsy Advocate Foundation, what does your organization aim to do?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Oh, the Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation are recognize five oh
one C three. We help people throughout the state of
living with epilepsy. We help veterans whether they have epilepsy
PTSD need help with prescription medications, anything we possibly can.
You know, we're a small organization, however, everything here is
(00:53):
completely volunteered. No one gets paid, but we do everything
we can to help those suffering from epilepsy.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Now, you're having what's called a four hundred gallon blood drive.
It's taking place on Thursday, October twenty third. Tell me
all about it. What's happening that day?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah? Thanks. Yeah. One of the things our organization does
is we sponsor and host blood drives. And this was
started because for decades people living with epileps you could
not donate the gift of life, and we found out
over ten years ago some not all can do. So
one of the biggest things is you have to be
seizure free for two years and you must get the
(01:34):
okay from your doctor. However, for everybody else that can
donate blood, you know, this is really a milestone for
our organization. We get to the four hundred gallon mark.
And no, it didn't all come for me because we've
asked that. People have asked that in the past. I'm like, no,
that's impossible. Oh you should have heard the people asking
(01:55):
me at the three hundred gallen blood drive and I said, no,
we can't do that. Be thinking, and it says, you
know what, give me a second. Took out the calculators.
I says, if I was able to donate the gift
of life six times a year for about eighty years,
I still wouldn't make it. Wow. So you see, getting
this type of achievement is really important. And if you
(02:18):
you goob it, Matt, So why don't we do this?
Those four hundred gallons they go out to a lot
of people.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So four hundred gallons, I think we were talking before
we started. Makes thirty two hundred pints.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yep, every pint goes to three people. So those thirty
two hundred pints will help nine six hundred people. That's
a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
When we want to do something, we put it together
and we do it right.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
You do do it right. You're so wonderful. And again
it's October twenty third from one to six pm. It's
the Milford Drive Donation Center that's located at four eighty
six Bridgeport Avenue in Milford. If you'd like to make
an appointment, you can go to redcrossblood dot org and
your website is ct EA dot org.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Right. The other beauty about jointing for the Red Cross.
You can also download the app at the app store
and you just punch in the zip code and the
ladies drivers will come over there. One quick thing. This
blood donation center is named after Taranova family, a family
who's helped the Red Cross in so many ways for
(03:30):
over thirty years, not only with blood donations out in
hurricanes and storms. Their family is up at the airport
at Hartford. Thing go by to the veterans when they
go to DC and when they come back. So they
put a lot into the community in the past three
generations of people.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
And as I understand, the first hour is already booked up.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yes it is. It is completely booked. That first hour
really gets filled and then.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Some and if somebody would like to volunteer or donate
to the Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation, will they just go
to the website.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, that's awesome. All they have to do is go
to the website and there's the about us page. The
contact information is there, the mailing address is there. It's
simple to cut a check and make a donation.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
And it's so simple to give blood for those who
may be a little bit concerned. There's nothing to it.
You just fill out this questionnaire, which is really beneficial
because you may have something going on that you didn't
even know. And as you're filling that out, they say, hey,
we noticed like your sugar might be up ark. You know,
it's a really wonderful thing. And then you're just a
little pinch and they give you a cookie in a
(04:45):
juice box or something afterwards to say thank you.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Definitely, I mean there's an assortment of goodies afterwards, whether
it's a cool drink, like you said, cookies and other
snacks there that just brings you back into it. But
one important thing we want people to know that the
day before the blood drive, and especially the morning before
you donate, you really have to be high traded. Make
(05:12):
sure your glue co level is up. Don't be afraid
to eat. It's okay to eat. You don't want to
go there empty and dry. That's the worst thing that
could happen.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
I'm speaking with Bob Fiori, president and founder of the
Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate Foundation. Again that blood drive Thursday, October
twenty third, one to six pm at the Milford Blood
Donation Center. That's for eighty six Bridgeport Avenue in Milford.
You can also go to redcrossblood dot org org and
their website ct dash EA dot org. Bob, thank you
(05:44):
so much for being here and for serving the community.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Thank you so much for having us. We truly appreciate it.
Hope to see you at one of our blood drives someday.
Are just together at lunch, dinner dot the Bona
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