‘Heartbroken’ mother with no terminal illness deciding to end own life by assisted dying

Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying which some readers may find distressing.

Wendy Duffy will take her own life at a controversial assisted dying organisation in Switzerland this week.

The 56-year-old is physically healthy and of sound mind but has decided she wants ‘to die’.

While she doesn’t have a terminal illness, Wendy has been left completely heartbroken by the death of her only child in a tragic accident.

The Brit has attempted to take her own life previously and has told her family her decision to go to Pegasos but not the details – if anyone was to get involved in any way, they would risk being investigated in the UK.

Wendy’s choice comes as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposed legalising assisted dying in England and Wales, is expected to fall at the end of Friday’s (24 April) debate.

Wendy is travelling to the Swiss clinic alone as if any of her family joined her they could be prosecuted. (Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)

The mum told the Daily Mail: “I want to die, and that's what I'm going to do. My life; my choice.”

She chose to share her story to draw attention to the ‘unfairness’ of the current system on her family.

Pegasos has deemed her suffering sufficient to meet its criteria as a panel of experts, including psychiatrists, passed her application. The non-profit organisation assessed the case for months, with full access to Wendy’s medical records.

Unlike other assisted dying organisations, Pegasos only needs reports from medical experts in medically complex cases (like patients with mental and neurological diseases).

But the organisation is clear that its application process is rigorous, with founder Ruedi Habegger saying that even within Swiss law: “There is a red line that we cannot cross, otherwise it is not assisted suicide; you could actually call it murder.”

With it forbidden to profit from assisted death in Switzerland, clients at Pegasos fund the medication, doctors and funeral costs.

It is expected the bill will fall on Friday as the current parliamentary session ends. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Friday is the last scheduled sitting for this session of Parliament, with it looking as though the assisted dying bill in the UK will therefore not pass as time will run out.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has had more than 1,000 amendments proposed by peers in the Lords - believed to be a record high number for a piece of backbench legislation.

It had proposed allowing adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to the approval of two doctors and an expert panel.

Supporters and opponents gathered outside Parliament yesterday to both praise and criticise the House of Lords for the time they have taken to scrutinise the Bill.

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.