Wendy Duffy, 56, from the West Midlands, travelled to the Pegasos clinic in Switzerland, where she paid £10,000 to end her life following the death of her son. Her twin sister, who chose to remain anonymous, has revealed she had 'no idea' of the plan and only learned of her sister's death through social media.
Twin Sister's Shock
The twin sister told LBC: 'We knew nothing about it, none of us saw it coming at all.' She said her daughter saw news of the death on Instagram and showed it to her. 'If I'd have known, I would have been straight down to Birmingham, and I would have stopped her. I would have done everything in my power; I would have held on with both arms.'
Family Denies Consultation
Wendy's nephew, identified only as Marcus, slammed the Swiss clinic and claimed they did not tell the family before her death. He said: '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.' Marcus said he raised concerns with both Swiss and British police.
The founder of the Pegasos clinic, Ruedi Habegger, previously told the Daily Mail: 'What I can confirm is four siblings have been informed. They gave their blessings.'
Clinic Process
The process at the Swiss clinic involved interviews, forms and submitting medical records. A panel of experts, including psychiatrists, assessed Wendy's case and approved it. Before her death, Habegger said the British mum passed her final psychiatric assessment a week before her death and was 'very decided'.
Mental Health Concerns
Marcus claimed his aunt displayed 'clear signs' of depression after her son's death. He said: 'In this case, Pegasos has taken a completely healthy 56-year-old woman, and not disqualified her on behalf of those mental health issues. How can someone, by virtue of suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts, be deemed of sound mind?'
Swiss law dictates assisted suicide is legal if it is not carried out for self-serving reasons, and clinics must show a patient's condition was long-lasting, treatment-resistant and severe. There was no suggestion the clinic had broken any laws.
Wendy's Story
Wendy's son, also called Marcus, died four years ago aged just 23 after choking on a sandwich his mum made for him while he was hungover. Speaking days before her death, Wendy said: 'I won't change my mind. I know it's hard for you, sweetheart. It will be hard for everyone. But I want to die, and that's what I'm going to do. And I'll have a smile on my face when I do, so please be happy for me. My life; my choice.'
Marcus said that while he understood his aunt's grief, he did not believe enough was done to support her before she made the decision to go to Pegasos. He said: 'I understand her loss. I don't blame her for doing what she did. She was suffering from a mental health episode, but, because of that, she should have been disqualified by Pegasos.'
