A healthy mother has ended her life at a controversial assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, unable to bear the grief of losing her only son. Wendy Duffy, 56, was approved for assisted dying at the Pegasos clinic after a year-long process that cost £10,000. She wrote letters to loved ones, chose a deathbed outfit, and selected the music that would be the last thing she heard.
Her son Marcus died four years ago, and despite therapy, she said her life was "agony" without him. In an interview before her death, she stated: "I don't care about anything any more. I exist. I don't live. When Marcus died, I died too, inside. On my deathbed I'll wear his T-shirt, which still smells of him." She added, "I won't change my mind. It will be hard for everyone. But I want to die, and that's what I'm going to do. And I'll have a smile on my face when I do, so please be happy for me. My life; my choice."
Pegasos Clinic and Psychiatric Cases
Pegasos is a Swiss assisted dying clinic that accepts psychiatric-only cases—where there is no physical illness—provided they meet strict criteria. The condition must be severe, long-lasting, and treatment-resistant. Many Swiss clinics, including the better-known Dignitas, refuse such cases entirely.
After more than a year of back-and-forth, including interviews, forms, and submission of her full medical records and therapy history—conducted almost entirely remotely via email and WhatsApp—a panel of experts including psychiatrists assessed Wendy's case and approved it.
Final Arrangements
Wendy will be cremated in Switzerland, and her ashes will be sent back to her family to be scattered by her son's bench. Her four sisters and two brothers knew she applied to Pegasos but were unaware of the timescale to protect them. She planned to call them upon arrival in Switzerland.
In the UK, the assisted dying bill would not allow such cases, as it is only accessible to those who are terminally ill with six months to live and of sound mind. The more famous Dignitas in Switzerland would also have rejected Wendy.
Speaking about her final moments, she said: "My only stipulation is that I've asked if they can make sure the big windows are open, so my spirit can be free."
