Christian John Lillis
Peggy’s elder son. Christian has 25 years of experience in fundraising, advocacy, and nonprofit management, including at NYU Langone Medical Center and the National LGBTQ Task Force.
As head of PLF, Christian has led eight national convenings of C. diff Advocates, built a 50-person volunteer Advocates Council, coordinated the first-ever C. diff Lobby Day on Capitol Hill, and produced the first-ever public service announcement on C. diff infections. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized PLF’s work with its Excellence in Partnership award for domestic advocates and organizations.
Christian has presented to state hospital associations, quality improvement organizations, healthcare systems, and industry leaders, including Mount Sinai Health, National Quality Forum, and the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria. He has also testified at Congressional briefings. Christian’s writing has appeared in the Baltimore Sun, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and the CDC’s Safer Healthcare Blog. He has also co-authored articles for journals, including Advances in Therapy and American Journal of Gastroenterology. PLF’s work has been featured in Consumer Reports, USA Today, and Reuters. Peggy’s story was also featured Dr. Martin Blaser’s 2014 book, Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues.
Christian holds a B.A. in Political Theory from Brooklyn College-City University of New York. A native Brooklynite, he lives in its Kensington neighborhood with his husband, Chris, and their beagle, Maggie Anne.
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New Research Shows Metabolic Syndrome Nearly Doubles C. Diff Risk. Here’s What Patients Need to Know.
Most people have never heard of C. difficile (C. diff) until it touches their life directly. But for the roughly 500,000 Americans diagnosed with a C. diff infection every year, the experience can be severe: persistent diarrhea, dangerous inflammation, hospitalization, and in some cases, death. C. diff kills approximately 30,000 Americans annually, placing it among […]
Welcoming New Leadership: Emily Alonso-Taub and Shion Chang Join the PLF Board of Directors
The Peggy Lillis Foundation is thrilled to welcome two new members to its Board of Directors: Emily Alonso-Taub and Shion Chang, MPA, MSPH. Their expertise in philanthropy and health policy strengthens PLF’s leadership at a pivotal moment in the organization’s growth, and we couldn’t be more excited to have them at the table. Emily Alonso-Taub […]
WHO C. DIFF KILLS IS NOT RANDOM: WHAT A NEW NATIONWIDE STUDY TELLS US ABOUT DISPARITIES
My mother, Peggy Lillis, died of a C. diff infection in April 2010. She was 56 years old. But here is something most people do not know: C. diff does not appear on her death certificate. What does appear are sepsis and toxic megacolon, which is what killed her at the end. C. diff is […]
Beyond Antibiotics: New Insights Offer More Ways to Protect Yourself From C. Diff
Most people who have been through a C. diff infection know the story: you took an antibiotic, it disrupted your gut bacteria, and C. diff took hold. Antibiotics are the most well-known risk factor for C. diff, and for good reason. But a sweeping new study published this spring in the journal Gut suggests the […]
C. diff Detection Dog Angus Retires After a Decade Fighting Hospital Infections
We have some bittersweet news to share. Angus, the remarkable English Springer Spaniel who spent nearly a decade sniffing out C. diff in Canadian hospitals, has officially retired. He is 13 years old, and he has more than earned his rest. Here at the Peggy Lillis Foundation, we’ve had a special place in our hearts […]
A Global Conversation About C. Diff: PLF’s Partnership With GARDP
Global Conversation about C. diff
New C. diff Antibiotics: CRS3123 and Ibezapolstat Show Remarkable Phase 2 Results
For the millions of Americans who have lived through a C. diff infection or lost a loved one to one, the promise of better treatments is not an abstract hope. It is deeply personal. This month, two investigational drugs are generating significant scientific interest, and we want to make sure patients and survivors have the […]
PLF Appoints Leading C. diff Researcher Dr. Krishna Rao as Scientific Advisory Council Chair
Peggy Lillis Foundation (PLF) is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. A. Krishna Rao, MD, MS, as Chair of its Scientific Advisory Council (SAC). A nationally recognized expert in Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection, Dr. Rao’s elevation to Chair marks an exciting new chapter in PLF’s mission to combat C. diff through education and […]
Peggy Lillis Foundation Launches Exciting New Speakers Bureau to Raise C. diff Awareness
I’m proud to announce the launch of the Peggy Lillis Foundation Speakers Bureau, a new initiative designed to elevate the voices of those most impacted by Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) and to expand education and awareness about this devastating infection. C. diff remains one of the most common and deadly healthcare-associated infections in the United […]
Turning Awareness Into Action: Driving Measurable Progress Against C. diff in 2025
Despite significant headwinds, primarily due to disruptions in the Federal government, the Peggy Lillis Foundation has made considerable progress. We had to put some goals on the back burner until the national ecosystem is more favorable. Still, we prioritized providing much more care to people actively battling and recovering from C. diff infections. We’re proud […]
Smart Antibiotic Use: How Men Can Take Charge of Their Health
Taking charge of your health begins with understanding how everyday choices influence your long-term well-being. Many people reach for antibiotics without thinking, and men often wait longer to seek care, which can lead to unnecessary prescriptions or missed warning signs. This is why men’s health awareness matters. When you understand how antibiotics work and how […]
In the fight against C. diff, Grief is Our Superpower
“everything I ever didwas just another way to scream your nameover and over and over and over again” Florence Welch, South London Forever My mother, Peggy, loved Halloween. She also loved Dia de los Muertos, which she taught to her kindergarten class. It served as an early conversation about mourning while teaching her students, many […]
2025 Changing the Odds Celebrated Leaders, Honored Those Lost to C. diff
On Friday, September 26th, Peggy Lillis Foundation (PLF) held its 16th Annual Changing the Odds Gala at 26 Bridge in Brooklyn, New York. 120 guests joined us to celebrate PLF’s progress in combating C. diff and recognize four outstanding honorees: Dr. Stacy Kahn, Dr. Jennie Kwon, and Minnie and Spencer Hatch. We continued with our […]
New Nationwide Poll Shows Increase In C. Difficile Awareness Through Media Coverage
More than half of all respondents admitted they were not at all aware of the infection NEW YORK, NY (September 24, 2025) – The Peggy Lillis Foundation (PLF), the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for C. diff education and advocacy, released the results of its first nationwide survey to gauge public awareness of Clostridioides difficile infections. […]
A Decade of Inspiring Education: Highlights from the 10th Annual C. diff Summit & Lobby Day
On March 31st, Peggy Lillis Foundation convened its tenth annual National C. diff Summit in Washington, DC. This year, we welcomed many new faces from patients and industry professionals. Attendees were presented with various topics ranging from the role of diagnostics to the importance of patient education, with a focus on the volunteers and how […]
Volunteer to fight C. diff
I don’t need to tell you about the devastation caused by C. diff infections. As a C. diff survivor/someone who cared for a C. diff patient/treats patients with C. diff, you know firsthand the pain, confusion, and even trauma. Following the death of my mother from a C. diff infection, we wanted to build a […]
You can be a savior
This was adapted from my 2024 National C. diff Advocates Summit speech. My mother was many things. A young woman who had an unplanned pregnancy (me). The third of nine siblings from a working-class Irish-Catholic family. A single parent who relied on welfare, her large family, and her community to help care for me and […]
2023 “See C. Diff” Reaches 23 Million People!
We did it! Once again, the Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. diff Education and Advocacy (PLF) surpassed our goal of reaching 20 million people during C. diff Awareness Month. Through hard work, growing partnerships, and the help of thousands of supporters on social media, we increased our reach by 43 percent over 2022. See C. […]
2023 Changing the Odds Gala Raises $110,000 for C. diff Education and Advocacy
On Friday, November 3rd, Peggy Lillis Foundation (PLF) held its 14th Annual Changing the Odds Gala at 26 Bridge in Brooklyn, New York. This year’s Gala raised over $110,000 to support PLF’s programs, making it our most successful fundraiser ever. This year, 120 guests joined us to celebrate PLF’s progress in combating C. diff and […]
COVID-19 Revealed How a Lack of Care for Seniors Affects Us All
Our executive director, Christian John Lillis, wrote this essay for Pharmacy Times Health Systems Edition. In it, he looks at how failing to protect the elderly from disease has consequences beyond nursing homes. My grandmother Dorothy Daly died in August 2016 at aged 93 years. Though she had dementia for the last few years, it […]
In advocates’ ongoing push for superbug funding, ‘$6 billion is nothing’
When Peggy Lillis died of a clostridium difficile infection in 2010, her sons were shocked. Lillis had gone to the dentist for a routine root canal and, four days later, wound up in the hospital from an infection caused by the treatment she was taking for an abscess. Ultimately, it took her life. “She died […]
Living With C diff: A Trauma That Lingers
We are pleased to work with ContagionLive to bring stories of C. diff survivors and advocates. First up is this year’s Advocate Award recipient, Pamela McCollister. Pam is a C. diff survivor, wife and mother of two. She battled recurrent C. diff for over two years. In this article and video, Pam tells her story […]
Our Infectious Future (Guest Blog)
Guest blog by Xenex Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Mark Stibich, PhD
PLF’s Executive Director on “Infectious Conversations” Podcast
Our Executive Director Christian John Lillis was interviewed on the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease “Infectious Conversations” podcast.
Patient Advocate Groups and Infectious Disease Non-Profits call for Shift in White House COVID-19 Strategy
March 1, 2022– Multiple patient advocate groups and infectious disease non-profits including the Allergy & Asthma Network, Alliance for Aging Research, CancerCare, CARLDEN Inc, The COSHAR Healthy Communities Foundation, Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, HealthyWomen, NTM Info & Research, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease, Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. diff Education […]
Blaming the Poor – Memories of Peggy
This is part of an ongoing series of blog posts that are part of a larger memoir project for Peggy’s life and how her values inform the work of the Peggy Lillis Foundation. – CJL From the time I was five and she was 24, Mom was a “single mother.” I put the term in […]
We did it! We reached 1,000,000+ people during C. diff Awareness Month
We did it! With the help of people like you, we reached more than 1 million people during C. diff Awareness Month. As you likely know, lack of awareness is a huge obstacle for preventing C. diff, and for getting quickly diagnosed and appropriately treated. We continue to hear every day from people who first […]
Media Alert: Peggy Lillis Foundation launches New PSA, Raises Money for C. diff Awareness Month
New York, NY (November 8, 2021)— The Peggy Lillis Foundation (PLF) has kicked off C. diff Awareness Month with a successful gala fundraiser, the launch of a new PSA, a continued goal of having C. diff designated as a Nationally Notifiable Disease, its third annual “See C. diff” campaign, and more. PLF will also be […]