Peggy Lillis Foundation Announces 14th Annual Gala To Mark the Beginning of C. diff Awareness Month and Launch of “See C. Diff” Campaign

NEW YORK, NY (October 31, 2023)—The Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. diff Education & Advocacy (PLF) will be holding its 14th annual “Changing the Odds” gala on November 3rd, 2023 to mark the start of C. diff Awareness Month and launch the Foundation’s fifth “See C. diff campaign”. The gala is PLF’s cornerstone event for raising critical funds to support the Foundation’s efforts to combat this devastating infection. The event will be held at 26 Bridge in Brooklyn from 7-11 p.m. and feature a cocktail reception, full dinner, casino games, and more. Tickets for the event are on
sale now.

Since last year’s gala, PLF has continued its mission to combat C. difficile infections through its annual Summit and Lobbying Day on Capitol Hill, sharing advocate stories, media coverage and the first-ever FDA Patient-led Listening Session for C. diff. This year, PLF hopes to continue raising the bar by increasing its goal to reach 20 million people in the month of November during the course of its “See C. diff” campaign. Lack of awareness continues to be a huge obstacle to preventing, diagnosing and treating C. diff. Strides have been made this year with FDA approval of two new microbiome-based preventatives for recurrent C. diff, but antimicrobial resistance and policies surrounding antibiotics continue to hamper progress in combating C. diff.

Strides have been made this year with FDA approval of two new microbiome-based preventatives for recurrent C. diff, but antimicrobial resistance and policies surrounding antibiotics continue to hamper progress in combating C. diff. Image Credit: © Caner - stock.adobe.com

“We’ve seen enormous progress for C. diff patients in the past year, which we are excited to celebrate,” says PLF’s Executive Director Christian John Lillis, “but we remain committed to raising C. diff awareness, empowering patients and their caregivers, and fighting for the policy changes required to end this epidemic.”

Awards will be presented at the gala, honoring and thanking those who have been dedicated to fighting, researching and raising awareness for C. diff. This year’s honorees include Leadership Award recipient, Dr. Sahil Khanna, Innovator Award recipient, Dr. Kevin Garey, and Advocate Award recipient, Pamela McCollister.

Dr. Khana said, “We continue to fight the battle against C difficile for our patients. There is a huge role that patient advocacy and organizations like the Peggy Lillis Foundation play in helping achieve our shared mission. I am honored to be a part of this world where we make a difference, collectively and one patient at a time!”

Additionally, on November 15th, PLF will be hosting a “State of C. diff” virtual town hall, which will look at the progress made in the past year, as well as the challenges that remain for C. diff patients, survivors and their caregivers. The town hall will be led by Dr. Paul Feuerstadt with additional speakers to be announced. Registration is free thanks to our generous sponsors at Nestle Health Science and Seres Therapeutics.

Along with the support of advocates, loved ones, allies, and stakeholders, PLF’s annual gala would not be possible without the generosity of its corporate sponsors. The presenting sponsor of this year’s event is Ferring Pharmaceuticals, along with lead sponsors Nestle Health Science and Seres Therapeutics and supporting sponsor, Merck & Co. Other sponsors include Acurx Pharmeceuticals Inc., Vedanta Biosciences,
Crestone, and Paratek.

Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff, is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacteria that often colonizes the human colon, leading to Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). This infection wreaks havoc on the body and is responsible for 500,000 infections in one year, and 29,000. C. diff affects every demographic, making awareness, prevention, and treatment vital. National C. diff Awareness Month brings this conversation to the forefront while advocating for C. diff survivors and current sufferers, as the effects of the infection can cause lifelong mental and physical complications.

About Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. diff Education & Advocacy
Founded in response to the April 2010 death of a 56-year-old kindergarten teacher, Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. diff Education & Advocacy (PLF) is the leading national organization dedicated to combating C. difficile infections through educating the public, empowering advocates, and shaping policy. PLF is a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization. For more information visit www.cdiff.org