Phyllis’ daughter’s battle with Lyme and her journey back to health inspired the creation of LymeLight Foundation. Grateful for the financial means to provide her daughter’s lifesaving medical treatment, not covered by insurance, Phyllis met many parents who were forced to decide between feeding and housing their families and treating their Lyme-infected children. LymeLight Foundation was founded on the belief that this is a choice no parent should have to make.
LymeLight Foundation provides medical grants up to $10,000 to Lyme-infected children and young adults who cannot pay for necessary medications and therapies. Phyllis has been in instrumental in achieving the foundation’s accomplishments for victims of Lyme disease. Since its founding in 2011, LymeLight has provided over $8.4M in grants to 1,200 individuals in 49 states.
Phyllis is a philanthropist and has devoted much of her adult life to the not -for-profit causes she believes in. She created and executed the largest sustaining fundraising initiative in the history of Today&#8217;s Youth Matter, an organization serving vulnerable children in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a Governor for Opportunity International, Phyllis was an active fundraiser, hosting events and networking on their behalf. She also traveled to Honduras to observe Opportunity’s microfinancing work in action. Phyllis continues to actively support several other organizations focused on social change.

Phyllis Bedford