Family praises suicide clinic care

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Peter and Penelope Duff, from Bath in Somerset, died at the Dignitas clinic in Zurich on February 27.

Retired businessmen Mr Duff, 80, was suffering from colon and liver cancer and his 70-year-old wife had been suffering from a rare form of the disease, Gist (gastrointestinal stromal tumour) since 1992.

A family statement released on Thursday said: "Peter and Penny Duff passed away peacefully together in Zurich after a long battle against their terminal cancer on the 27th February. Penny had fought a rare cancer, Gist, since 1992 and Peter's colon cancer had spread to his liver.

"Their decision in no way reflected on the wonderful and humbling care they have received from their consultant, doctors and nurses, for which the family, and they, were so appreciative."

The Duffs are the latest Britons to end their lives at Dignitas. Although there is no suggestion of them being helped by anyone else to end their lives, their deaths will reopen the debate on whether voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide for the terminally ill should be allowed in Britain.

There have been a series of legal bids in recent years to clarify the law relating to the issue. Although suicide is no longer a crime in England and Wales, aiding and abetting suicide is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Dignitas was founded in 1998 by Swiss lawyer Ludwig Minelli, who runs it as a non-profit organisation. Around 100 Britons are said to have been helped to die at the facility.

Multiple sclerosis sufferer Debby Purdy, who said she is ready to end her life if her condition becomes intolerable, lost a Court of Appeal bid last month to clarify the law. Law lords ruled she was not legally entitled to the kind of specific guidance from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) she was seeking.

But the case of paralysed rugby player Mark James whose family helped him travel to the Dignitas clinic last September signalled that anyone helping a terminally ill person to end their life would not be prosecuted.