Former head of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards has died
Cecile Richards, a prominent advocate for women's rights and other progressive causes, died Monday. In a statement, her family confirmed her death, saying she passed away at home, "surrounded by family and her ever-loyal dog, Ollie."
"Our hearts are broken today but no words can do justice to the joy she brought to our lives," the statement said.
Richards was best known for her work leading Planned Parenthood through a particularly challenging time which included threats to its funding and the first election of Donald Trump to the presidency.
During more than a decade at the helm of Planned Parenthood, Richards was often called upon to defend the reproductive health organization against attacks from political opponents. She and her movement faced mounting challenges after Trump, who ran for President in 2016 on a promise to overturn the landmark abortion rights decision Roe v. Wade, was first elected.
SAUCE: https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5199767/cecile-richards-planned-parenthood-brain-cancer