A Midland mother has become the first person to openly discuss travelling to Switzerland for assisted dying before the procedure takes place. Wendy Duffy, 56, a former care worker, has paid £10,000 to end her life at the Pegasos clinic after losing her only son, Marcus, in a tragic accident four years ago.
Marcus, 23, died after half a cherry tomato became lodged in his windpipe while he dozed off eating a sandwich. Despite Wendy's medical training and immediate CPR, he was declared brain dead after five days on life support.
"That's when I died too, inside," Wendy said. "I'm not the same person now as I was. I used to feel things. I don't care about anything any more. I exist. I don't live."
Despite extensive NHS counselling and antidepressants, Wendy attempted suicide nine months after Marcus's death, spending two weeks on a ventilator. She said: "I remember coming round and thinking, 'I've f***ed this up', and I don't want to go through that again. That's why I've gone for Pegasos."
Pegasos founder Ruedi Habegger confirmed Wendy had completed her final psychiatric evaluation and that her four siblings had given their approval. "Her family knew this was coming at one point or another," he said.
Wendy's procedure is scheduled for Friday, April 24, and she hopes her story will contribute to the assisted dying debate expected in the House of Lords.
