Day 1: The Summit

On Monday, April 13, Peggy Lillis Foundation hosted its annual National C. diff Summit. We hosted 15 speakers who shared a range of exciting presentations on topics ranging from diagnosis and prevention to advocacy at the Food and Drug Administration.

“Providing dedicated space for medical professionals, regulators, and patients in a focused day of education, patient experience, and advocacy is such a powerful thing.”
– Spencer Hatch, Advocate

At a time when a number of novel C. diff therapies either have received approval or are nearing the end of their development pipeline, our focus remains on access to care for patients. That’s why we opened the day with a talk from Michael Woodworth, MD, of Emory University (pictured left): “Access to Microbiota Therapies for rCDI.”

The C. diff Summit agenda then moved through other pressing topics in the C. diff field, such as diagnostic stewardship, prevention strategies and limitations, and rural disparities in C. diff infections.

One of the highlights of the day was a segment on pediatric C. diff, beginning with a talk on epidemiology by Stacy Kahn, MD, of Boston Children’s Hospital, followed by a panel with Dr. Kahn and two mothers of pediatric C. diff patients, Rose Henderson and Blanca Morales.

The latter half of the Summit was devoted to equipping PLF volunteers with vital tools to support one another and advocate for change. Audience members attended sessions on C. diff peer support, partnering with a microbiome-based trade coalition, and engaging the Food and Drug Administration to better policies around C. diff.

“Our advocacy sends a clear signal to drug developers, investors, and regulators that the patient community is organized, the evidence is compelling, and that companies can do well by doing good.”
– Christian John Lillis, CEO

The 2026 Summit was a marked success for PLF. This event succeeded in furthering one of our primary goals: combine patient education with legislative advocacy to improve the lives of C. diff patients.

Day 2: Lobby Day

After the Summit, on Tuesday, April 14, our advocates shifted their focus to Capitol Hill. 19 volunteers from 14 states met with 30 legislators, educated staffers, and requested Appropriations report language to prioritize C. diff treatment research. Other legislative priorities included public health funding and two bills to reform the way patients interact with the healthcare system: the HELP Copays and Safe Step Acts.

In addition to meeting with a great number of offices, our advocates’ meetings had more positive outcomes than ever before. Congressional staff were engaged, inquisitive, and generally supportive of our requests. Further outcomes from Lobby Day are to be determined, but the event was another success for C. diff advocates.

PLF thanks our generous sponsors for facilitating the 2026 National C. diff Summit, and all speakers and volunteers who participated in our Summit and Lobby Day.