UK mother, 56, dies at assisted dying clinic in Switzerland after son's death

A 56-year-old woman from the West Midlands in England has died at an assisted dying clinic in Switzerland, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

Wendy Duffy, a former care worker, underwent the procedure at the Pegasos clinic in Basel. The organisation confirmed her death in a statement.

“I can confirm that Wendy Duffy, at her own request, was assisted to die on April 24 and that the procedure was completed without incident and in full compliance with her wishes,” said Ruedi Habegger, founder of the assisted-dying organisation.

He added that professionals involved in assessing her mental capacity had no concerns regarding her understanding of the decision.

Duffy had earlier spoken about her inability to recover from the death of her son, Marcus, who died in 2022 at the age of 23.

She said she had undergone therapy and medical care in the years following the incident but continued to struggle emotionally.

Her experience reflects the long-term impact that grief can have on individuals, particularly after the loss of a close family member.

According to the report, Duffy’s son died after a choking incident at home. The loss had a lasting effect on her mental and emotional well-being.

She had also previously attempted to end her life, after which she required medical treatment.

Despite receiving support over time, she said she was unable to move past the loss.

Assisted dying remains illegal in the United Kingdom. Switzerland, however, allows assisted dying under certain legal conditions, which has led some individuals to travel there for such procedures, the New York Post reported.

Duffy had travelled to Switzerland ahead of the procedure, according to the report.

Family's statement

Duffy’s family members were aware of her decision, the report said. She had also made personal arrangements prior to the procedure.

However, per The Mirror, Wendy's 87-year-old mother, who suffers from dementia had told the publication that she was unaware of her daughter's plans.

Her family told the media outlet that how "nothing was going to stop her” and she “was determined and strong-minded’. They said she could no longer live with the loss of her only child: “It it something she wanted and we couldn’t stop her.”

Wendy's sister-in-law Paula Duffy in a statement to the Daily Mirror said, “It is very sad for the whole family, very upsetting.”

Soon after, Pegasos announced her death, Paula told the daily, “It is something she wanted to do and we couldn’t stop her. She never got back to herself after the death of her son and she didn’t want to carry on. She was very strong willed and if she has something on her mind no one could change it.”

According to multiple media reports, Wendy paid Pegasos $13,500 to end her life. She travelled alone to the clinic and died peacefully on Friday morning wearing her son Marcus' T-shirts because, ‘it still smells of him’- and listening to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars song Die With A Smile.