Wendy Duffy, a 56-year-old former care worker from the West Midlands, plans to travel to Pegasos, a suicide clinic in Switzerland, to end her life. According to multiple reports, Duffy is physically healthy and not terminally ill. Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK, prompting her to seek the procedure abroad.
Duffy's decision follows a personal tragedy: she lost her only child, Marcus, aged 23, four years ago. She has previously attempted suicide and nearly ended up in a persistent vegetative state, according to major media reports.
Duffy has paid £10,000 for the procedure, major media reports. She has chosen to die listening to 'Die With A Smile' by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Pegasos has less stringent acceptance criteria than Dignitas, according to major media reports.
There is no explicit 'right to die' written into Swiss law, major media reports. Pegasos operates in a legal grey area, accepting patients who are not necessarily terminally ill.
Martin Larsson, a 28-year-old from Jokkmokk, Sweden, has an unusually aggressive form of multiple sclerosis that has rapidly worsened his mobility and quality of life, according to research from two sources. He was 23 at the time of diagnosis. His MS quickly entered the secondary progressive phase, which is very rare at his age, according to research from two sources.
According to Martin Larsson, his doctor in Umeå has never encountered a similar case. Larsson has had serious suicidal thoughts, he said. He has been helped by a therapist and his ex-girlfriend, according to Larsson. According to www.expressen.se, Larsson described finding comfort in knowing that the option of assisted suicide exists, but he hopes for improvement and new medications.
Several unknowns remain. The timing of Duffy's travel to Switzerland has not been confirmed. It is unclear whether Larsson's application for assisted suicide has been accepted. The specific criteria Pegasos uses to accept patients are not publicly known. The current status of Larsson's MS treatment is not detailed. Legal and ethical debates surrounding these cases in their respective countries continue.