Former Planned Parenthood Leader Reveals She Has Brain Cancer

Cecile Richards, who boldly led Planned Parenthood through years of political and judicial assaults on the right to abortion, revealed in an interview Sunday that shes battling brain cancer.

Richards, 66, who was Planned Parenthoods president from 2006 to 2018, shared details of her diagnosis in a profile in The Cut . For the past six months, she divulged, shes been undergoing treatment for an incurable glioblastoma, which has a median survival rate of 15 months.

Though the cancer has affected her motor skills, speech and ability to write, she says her doctors have been encouraged by her continued strength.

I am sleeping. Im eating. Im having fun. Im working. Its like Pinocchio Im a real boy, and that feels really good, Richards said. Because six months ago I didnt know that this was possible.

The last six months have been wild - but thanks to incredible health care providers and the support of family and friends, Im doing really well.

Ive felt lucky all my life, and I feel lucky now: to be here, doing this work, alongside all of you.https://t.co/Zn0G9xI5Gt

Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 28, 2024","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Cecile Richards","author_url":"https://twitter.com/CecileRichards","cache_age":86400,"description":"The last six months have been wild - but thanks to incredible health care providers and the support of family and friends, Im doing really well.Ive felt lucky all my life, and I feel lucky now: to be here, doing this work, alongside all of you.https://t.co/Zn0G9xI5Gt Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 28, 2024\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Cecile Richards on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/CecileRichards/status/1751737431290699973","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"65b7fe71e4b01c5c3a37bb75","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/cecile-richards-planned-parenthood-brain-cancer_n_65b7fe71e4b01c5c3a37bb75","entryTagsList":"planned-parenthood,brain-cancer,cecile-richards,@us_huffpost_now","sectionSlug":"us-news","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"women,health","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.us-news","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/9e5983cd-adde-491a-9521-c6d65db5434a/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":3},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"65b7fe71e4b01c5c3a37bb75","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Planned Parenthood","slug":"planned-parenthood","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/planned-parenthood","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/planned-parenthood","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/planned-parenthood"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Planned Parenthood","slug":"planned-parenthood","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/planned-parenthood"},{"name":"brain cancer","slug":"brain-cancer","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/brain-cancer","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/brain-cancer","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/brain-cancer"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/brain-cancer"},{"name":"Cecile Richards","slug":"cecile-richards","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/cecile-richards","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/cecile-richards","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/cecile-richards"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/cecile-richards"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

The last six months have been wild - but thanks to incredible health care providers and the support of family and friends, Im doing really well.

Ive felt lucky all my life, and I feel lucky now: to be here, doing this work, alongside all of you.https://t.co/Zn0G9xI5Gt
Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 28, 2024

For treatment, Richards, the daughter of former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, who died of esophageal cancer in 2006, is undergoing semiweekly infusions as part of a clinical trial.

Richards has remained active in advocacy for reproductive rights since ending her tenure as Planned Parenthoods president, she told The Cut. Shes continued to work throughout her diagnosis, including on a bot she co-created called Charley, which helps people in need of abortions figure out how to get one. And in 2019, she co-founded the womens political action group Supermajority.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

I have been one of the really privileged few that could do what I thought needed doing. And so whatever comes next, I have that, Richards said, reflecting on the years she spent convincing Democrats that abortion was a winning issue for voters.

Thats something the partys well aware of today. Since the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, voters across the country, including in deep-red states , have voted to protect abortion rights. Despite that, lawmakers in more than a dozen states have enacted complete bans on the procedure without Roes protections in place.