Cecile Richards, Trailblazing Leader of Planned Parenthood, Passes Away

Cecile Richards, a prominent advocate for women’s rights and progressive causes, passed away on Monday. Her family confirmed the news in a statement, revealing that she died at home, surrounded by her loved ones and her devoted dog, Ollie.

Our hearts are broken, but no words can capture the joy she brought into our lives, the statement read.

Richards was best known for her leadership of Planned Parenthood during a turbulent period, marked by threats to its funding and the first election of Donald Trump as president. Over her more than a decade-long tenure, Richards was repeatedly called upon to defend the reproductive health organization against political attacks. Her leadership faced increasing challenges following Trump’s election, particularly after his 2016 campaign promise to overturn Roe v. Wade.

At the 2017 Women’s March in Washington, the day after Trump’s inauguration, Richards addressed thousands of marchers, vowing to resist his policies. Today, we’re here to deliver a message: we will not take this lying down, and we will not go back, she declared.

In 2018, Richards announced her decision to leave Planned Parenthood. Afterward, she focused her efforts on Supermajority, a group she co-founded to mobilize female voters.

In the years that followed, the Trump administration took steps to limit access to abortion, including defunding organizations like Planned Parenthood through an overhaul of the Title X family planning program. Trump’s appointment of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court led to the eventual overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

Despite these setbacks, along with a personal diagnosis of brain cancer, Richards remained a tireless advocate. Former Texas State Senator Wendy Davis, who worked closely with Richards on a successful campaign to defeat an anti-abortion bill in Texas in 2013, recalled Richards' unwavering resolve. Her belief was that you can’t give up before you even start. It’s always worth the fight, Davis said. When I’m tempted to give up, I think about Cecile, and I know many others do as well.

Richards drew inspiration from her mother, the late Texas Governor Ann Richards, whose sharp wit and grounded demeanor shaped Cecile’s own approach. When a male lawmaker questioned her during a 2015 hearing, asking if she expected special treatment as a woman, Richards responded firmly, Absolutely not. That’s not how my mama raised me.

Dr. Colleen McNicholas, Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood Great Rivers in St. Louis, praised Richards for transforming the movement’s public engagement, adding, She was a visible, bold presence who wasn’t afraid to speak openly about abortion.

Senator Patty Murray, a long-time advocate for reproductive rights, credited Richards with ensuring that contraceptive coverage was included in the Affordable Care Act. Murray emphasized that, despite recent setbacks, Richards’ example of resilience should inspire continued action. You move forward, you fight for what you believe in, and you learn from setbacks, she said. Cecile always did that.

In January 2024, months after her cancer diagnosis, Richards shared on Instagram how she navigated treatments, spent time with family, and continued her activism. After all, she wrote, as my mother used to say: ‘Why should your life be just about you?

As her health declined, Richards addressed the 2024 Democratic National Convention, reflecting on her joy at becoming a grandmother and acknowledging the challenges many women face in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s overturn.

One day, our children and grandchildren may ask us, ‘When everything was on the line, what did you do?’ And the only acceptable answer will be: ‘We did everything we could, Richards said.

In November 2024, President Joe Biden honored Cecile Richards with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a private ceremony at the White House. In his statement, Biden lauded Richards for her unwavering courage and conviction, and celebrated her inspiring legacy, which lives on in her remarkable family, the countless lives she improved, and a nation striving toward equality, justice, and freedom.