Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood, has died

CNN
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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 to be sworn in for a second term as president.

Richards’ family was “grateful to the doctors and healthcare staff who provided her with 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 that has long been criticized by conservatives and anti-abortion activists who have called on the government to strip it of funding.

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

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

This is a developing story and will be updated.