The twin sister of a British mother who travelled to Switzerland to end her life has said she had no idea of her sibling's plans until after her death. Wendy Duffy, 56, from the West Midlands, died at the Pegasos assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, paying £10,000 for the procedure. She had no terminal illness but had been struggling with grief since her son Marcus died four years ago after choking on a sandwich.
Wendy's twin, who asked to remain anonymous, told LBC that the family 'didn't see it coming at all'. She said if she had known, she would have tried to stop her. The sister's daughter reportedly saw news of the death on Instagram and informed her mother.
Wendy's nephew, also named Marcus, criticised the clinic, claiming they did not contact the family before her death. Pegasos had stated that four siblings were informed and gave their blessing, but the family denies this. Marcus said he has raised concerns with both Swiss and British police.
The clinic's founder, Ruedi Habegger, told the Daily Mail that the siblings had been informed. Before her death, Wendy passed a final psychiatric assessment and was described as 'very decided'. Swiss law permits assisted suicide if it is not for self-serving reasons and the patient's condition is long-lasting, treatment-resistant, and severe.
Wendy's son died from choking on a sandwich she had made for him while he was hungover. Days before her death, she stated she would not change her mind and wanted to die with a smile. Her nephew expressed understanding of her grief but believed she should have been disqualified due to depression and suicidal thoughts.
