Cecile Richards led Planned Parenthood from 2006 to 2018, making her the organization’s longest-serving president.
Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood and a prominent figure in the pro-abortion movement, has died. She was 67 years old.
Richards’ family announced his death on January 20th, saying in a statement that Richards “passed away at home surrounded by his family and his always faithful dog Ollie.”
“Our hearts are broken today, but words cannot express the joy she brought to our lives,” the family said in a statement to media outlets.
Richards served as president of the Planned Parenthood Association from 2006 to 2018, during which time the organization oversaw more than 4.2 million abortions, as outlined in its annual report.
Under Richards’ leadership, Planned Parenthood expanded significantly, growing its base to more than 13 million donors and volunteers by the time she left. She also strengthened the organization’s ties to the Democratic Party, including a brief stint as an adviser to Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful presidential campaign.
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One of the most difficult moments during Richards’ tenure occurred in 2015. A series of undercover videos allegedly showed family planning system officials giving graphic details about preserving the organs of aborted fetuses and selling them for research.
In response to the controversy, Richards apologized for the tone used by Planned Parenthood officials and doctors when discussing aborted fetuses. However, she adamantly denied any wrongdoing and claimed the video was edited to misrepresent the organization’s practices.
Family planning faced a major setback when the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Authority decision in June 2022 ended decades of federal protection from Roe v. Wade and handed the issue back to the states. faced.
President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House for a second term on January 20, also overhauled the federally funded family planning program Title The government cut funding to organizations such as family planning programs.
A few months before her death, Richards was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-outgoing President Joe Biden in a private ceremony at the White House.
Ms. Richards is survived by her husband, Kirk Adams, a medical union leader, and their three children.
