Who was Cecile Richards and what happened to her? Tributes pour in as former planned parenthood president dies at 67

Cecile Richards, women's reproductive rights activist and former president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund passed away at the age of 67 after a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain cancer.

Cecile Richards's family issued a statement announcing her passing and informing that she died peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones, including 'her ever-loyal dog, Ollie.' The family showed gratitude for the support and care provided by healthcare professionals and the community during her illness. They ended the tribute with:

"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 only acceptable answer is: ‘Everything we could.'"

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Remembering Cecile Richards's legacy

In an interview with NPR News, the current Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood, Dr. Colleen McNicholas lauded Cecile Richards by saying:

"I think she really changed the way that the movement engaged publicly; she was a very visible and bold presence... She wasn't afraid to take questions, to say the word abortion."

When speaking of Cecelia Richards to the Austin-American Statesmen, former state Senator Leticia Van de Putte said:

"Cecile had the savvy to message and empower... But you can't do it unless people know. And she was integral with not just Planned Parenthood, but the network of different women organizations to make sure that they knew what the struggle was about."

Cecile Richards was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest civilian honor in America) just months before her passing. In a post on X, then-President Joe Biden shared:

"Today, I had the honor of awarding Cecile Richards the Presidential Medal of Freedom. With absolute courage, she fearlessly leads us forward to be the America we say we are – a nation of freedom."

After receiving the honor, Cecile Richards shared:

"One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a lifelong organizer is that there are no permanent wins and no permanent losses. We have to fight for every inch of progress, and we can’t take anything for granted."

Cecile Richards often cited her mother, the late Texas Governor, Ann Richards, as a source of inspiration. She leaves behind a legacy as an advocate for women’s reproductive rights. She is credited for helping shape the national dialogue on access to healthcare and justice for women.