SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING: Wendy Duffy is one of several Brits who have travelled to the Pegasos facility with the intention of taking her own life, but she is not terminally sick
A mum who “wanted to die” despite not being terminally unwell travelled to a controversial Swiss suicide clinic to end her life after paying the infamous centre £10,000.
Wendy Duffy, 56, a former nurse from the West Midlands, boarded a plane to Switzerland this week with the intention to kill herself, and plans to do so “with a smile on my face” after receiving the green light from assisted dying facility Pegasos last year. She is physically healthy but in mental anguish from the death of her son, Marcus, 23, who died by choking four years ago when a piece of tomato became wedged in his throat.
Ms Duffy said medics believed Marcus, then hungover, had likely died after falling asleep with part of a sandwich still in his mouth – but she has never recovered from his death and has paid Swiss suicide clinic Pegasos to facilitate her death.
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Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Duffy said she came to Pegasos after having tried to take her own life previously, with the attempt nine months after her son’s death. She was left on a ventilator for two weeks and temporarily disabled. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, where Pegasos is one of several facilities offering to take people’s lives.
But unlike the more well-known Dignitas, the facility, which was founded in 2019 in Basel, has a much more lax acceptance criteria for its prospective patients, with the facility taking anyone over the age of 18 whether they are terminally or mentally ill.
The clinic is located in a luxurious and modern-looking sprawling estate set in the rolling Swiss countryside, and comes equipped with rooms where patients can take their own lives. To be accepted by the clinic, would-be patients must first complete an online application which Pegasos employees “thoroughly” review.
The length of the approval, the clinic states, tends to vary depending “on the specific circumstances and volume of applications”. Pegasos, while not carrying out the process, facilitates the death of people whose applications are cleared by giving them the means to administer a lethal solution themselves.
While it isn’t necessary in Ms Duffy’s case, as she has informed her family herself, Pegasos states that it informs its patients’ loved-ones if they choose to take their own lives at the facility.
However, it was claimed last year that Pegasos had failed to notify the family of a Welsh woman, Anne, 51, who died after reportedly using its services in 2025. The clinic said it had attempted to phone and text her brother, John, but he told ITV he received no such communication. Anne’s family found out about her death through letters sent to them from Switzerland.
After her death was confirmed to her bereaved loved ones, Pegasos defended its actions, stating employees “do the best of our abilities” to contact the families of their patients.
A spokesperson said: “According to our protocols we do the best of our abilities that persons we assist have informed their loved ones of their plans to die. Should we have reason to assume that no information has been provided to close family, we will refrain from proceeding without credible proof that they are aware.”
“This hasn’t been the case lately.” They added: “We understand that the assisted death of a loved person is a distressing time for the family.
“We are very sorry if Pegasos’ actions or communications have caused further distress to any affected family member at any time and thoroughly consider all concerns. Finally, we’d like to emphasize that – since our foundation in 2019 – all our actions have been in accordance with Swiss law.”
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
