Cecile Richards has died. The former president of Planned Parenthood passed away on Jan. 20, less than two years after she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form or brain cancer. She was 67.
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Richards’ family—her husband, Kirk Adams, and their children, Lily, Hannah, and Daniel—confirmed the news in a statement to People.
“This morning our beloved Cecile passed away at home, surrounded by her family and her ever-loyal dog, Ollie,” the family statement read. “Our hearts are broken today but no words can do justice to the joy she brought to our lives.”
“We are grateful to the doctors and health care workers who provided her excellent care and the friends, family, and well-wishers who have been by her side during this challenging time,” the statement continued, before sharing how mourners could honor the late advocate.
“If you’d like to celebrate Cecile today, we invite you to put on some New Orleans jazz, gather with friends and family over a good meal, and remember something she said a lot over the last year: ‘It’s not hard to imagine future generations one day asking: ‘When there was so much at stake for our country, what did you do?'” the statement read. “The only acceptable answer is: ‘Everything we could.'”
Planned Parenthood Speaks Out About Cecile Richards’ Death
Alexis McGill Johnson, the current CEO of Planned Parenthood, also addressed Richards’ death in a statement.
“Cecile Richards was an indomitable force. In her 12 devoted years of service to our organization, Cecile brought Planned Parenthood Federation of America to new heights in our health care, education, and advocacy work,” she said. “She led us through fights that transformed the reproductive health and rights landscape and made Planned Parenthood Action Fund the advocacy and political force that it remains to this day.”
“We are heartbroken to lose a giant in the fight for reproductive freedom. As we continue to navigate unchartered territory, we will be able to meet the challenges we face in large part because of the movement Cecile built over decades,” McGill Johnson continued. “I know, without a doubt, that Cecile would tell us the best way to honor her memory is to suit up—preferably in pink—link arms, and fight like hell for Planned Parenthood patients across the country.”
Prominent Figures Remember Cecile Richards
Richards began her career as a political activist. She successfully helped her mother, Ann Richards, get elected as the governor of Texas. Later, she served as the deputy chief of staff for former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
In a statement, Pelosi called Richards “a formidable champion of women, girls, and working families.”
“It was my privilege to work directly with Cecile for many years and to I have a front-row seat to her sharp intellect, strategic thinking and relentless effectiveness,” she said in part. “As my deputy chief of staff when I was Democratic Whip and Leader, she was a critical part of ensuring that Team Pelosi stayed connected to the needs and priorities of grassroots. As she ascended to other leadership roles, we never stopped working together to defend the rights of women and working families.”
Richards took the helm at Planned Parenthood in 2006 and continued in the role for 12 years. After her exit from the organization, she co-founded Supermajority. The organization is focused on making women the most powerful voting bloc in the country.
Joe Biden, who awarded Richards the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2024, addressed her death in a statement.
“Jill and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Cecile Richards. Cecile fearlessly led us forward to be the America we say we are. Carrying her mom’s torch for justice, she championed some of our Nation’s most important civil rights causes,” he said, per People. “She fought for the dignity of workers, defended and advanced women’s reproductive rights and equality, and mobilized our fellow Americans to exercise their power to vote. She was a leader of utmost character and I know that her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.”