Family of British mother who ended life call out Swiss clinic for process that ‘never took place’
Rhianna Benson
Featured Image Credit: Facebook
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide, which some readers may find distressing.
The family of an otherwise healthy mum who underwent assisted dying in Switzerland last month has claimed they 'never saw it coming'.
Wendy Duffy died as planned at a Pegasos in Basel on 24 April, the founder of the Swiss clinic, Ruedi Habegger, confirmed to the Daily Mail.
"I can also confirm that neither we nor any of the professional staff assessing her mental capacity had any doubt as to her intention, understanding, and independence of both thought and action," he added. "In historical terms, at English law, hers was a case of 'sane suicide'."
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Speaking to press before paying £10,000 to end her life, Duffy, 56, claimed the controversial decision had been spurred by the tragic loss of her son, Marcus, who died four years ago after choking on a tomato that had become lodged in his windpipe.
The 23-year-old had been eating a sandwich while hungover and sadly fell asleep.
Duffy had attempted to save his life before Marcus was rushed to the hospital, where he spent five days before his mother turned off his life support machine.
"In the funeral home, I went in every day, and just sat with him, playing through his Spotify list," she explained to the Daily Mail. "I broke when I saw him in there. My boy, on a metal table. You can't come back from that, you know.
"That's when I died too, inside. I'm not the same person now as I was. I used to feel things. I don't care about anything anymore."
In light of her death, Duffy's family have since spoken out, claiming they were kept totally in the dark over her assisted suicide plans.
Despite Pegasos claiming they'd informed her siblings, her twin sister alleges that she learned of her death through the media.
"We knew nothing about it, none of us saw it coming at all," the unnamed twin told LBC.
She added that her daughter had shown her coverage of Duffy's death on Instagram.
"If I'd have known, I would have been straight down to Birmingham, and I would have stopped her," she wrote. "I would have done everything in my power; I would have held on with both arms."
Duffy's nephew also slammed the clinic, adding: "Pegasos claimed they consulted family members as part of the decision-making process and spoke to all four siblings. This never took place. No one was contacted."
He also insisted his auntie showed 'clear signs' of depression following Marcus' death - something he believes clinic bosses should have considered.
"In this case, Pegasos has taken a completely healthy 56-year-old woman, and not disqualified her on behalf of those mental health issues," the nephew continued. "How can someone, by virtue of suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts, be deemed of sound mind?"
Prior to her passing, however, Duffy insisted her family had been kept wholly in the loop.
"Pegasos have been in touch with them," she told the Daily Mail. "I will call them when I get to Switzerland. It will be a hard call where I’ll say goodbye and thank them. But they will get it. They know.
"Honestly, 100%, they know that I’m not happy, that I don’t want to be here."
For advice, support, and more information, you can contact the nurse-led specialist team at Compassion in Dying via their helpline 0800 999 2434. You can also email them at [email protected].
Additionally, if you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.