World4 min(s) read
Published 15:42 24 Apr 2026 GMT
Warning: This article contains discussion of assisted dying which some readers may find distressing.
Wendy Duffy has split opinion in recent weeks, as she decided to end her life via assisted dying in Switzerland this week.
The 56-year-old Brit has made headlines as she is not physically ill, unlike others who usually choose to travel to an overseas assisted dying clinic to bring life to an end.
Duffy has travelled to Swiss clinic Pegasos, which is known for helping people end their lives on their own terms.
She has been planning the move for over a year and the process set her back $13,000, as she also wrote farewell letters and chose her final outfit, before ending her life today (April 24).
'Die With A Smile' by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars was the song that played when she passed too, as Duffy self-administered the medication with medical professionals watching over her, as required by Swiss law.
Her decision stems from the pain and trauma caused by the death of her only child, Marcus, 23, just four years ago.
He had choked on food which became stuck in his windpipe.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, she explained: "I want to die, and that’s what I’m going to do,
"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."
Duffy explained the process: "They put the line in [to your arm] but you've got to turn the doobra [the dial] yourself to get it flowing.
"Then – ding, ding, ding – within a minute, you are in a coma, and a minute after that, you are gone."
The Daily Mail reported today that Duffy died at the assisted suicide clinic in Basel today, following a "sane suicide".
Ruedi Habegger, the founder of Pegasos, said in a statement: "I can confirm that Wendy Duffy, at her own request, was assisted to die on April 24 and that the procedure was completed without incident and in full compliance with her wishes,
"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,
“In historical terms at English law, hers was a case of ‘sane suicide.’”
She stated: "I won't change my mind. It will be hard for everyone but I want to die, and that's what I'm going to do.
Claiming that she will have a smile on her face, she urged: "Please be happy for me," adding: "My life, my choice."
Patients must show they are mentally competent and have not been pushed to make the decision by an outside party.
Pegasos has less strict rules than Digitas, with the death procedure consisting of a lengthy evaluation of a written request and medical information, and at least two face-to-face meetings with a qualified doctor.
Duffy fit the clinic's criteria, as Habegger said before the process: "Wendy is very decided. I saw her at her hotel today, I had a long talk with her and with the psychiatrist that is going to see her a second time before the VAD [voluntary assisted death].
"He is very confident that we are doing the right thing letting her go, that we should not stand in her way.
"She is absolutely not in a depressive state. I’m very experienced in this field. There are no worries with Wendy, none at all."
Duffy says that she has seen all types of deaths "a million times," as she was a care worker.
”You could give me a house full of dogs, I’m doing this," Duffy stated at the time.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available via Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
