Cecile Richards, former Planned Parenthood president, has died

(CNN) — Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood, has died, her family said Monday in a statement. She was 67.

“This morning our beloved Cecile passed away at home, surrounded by her 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,” it read.

Richards died just hours before President-elect Donald Trump was set to be sworn in to a second term as president.

Richards’ family was “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,” it said.

Richards served as president of Planned Parenthood from 2006 to 2018, helping boost the profile of an organization long criticized by conservatives and anti-abortion activists who have called on the government to strip its funding.

“Together, we have made real progress in this country, expanding access to services and making reproductive rights a central priority of our nation’s health care system,” Richards said in January 2018 when she announced she was stepping down. “I’m deeply proud of the progress we’ve made for the millions of people Planned Parenthood health centers serve across the country each year.”

Planned Parenthood describes itself as the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education, with nearly 600 health centers across the country.