Mandy Appleyard: Caring for Mum, Dignitas and the Police Knock at the Door

On this week's episode, we're joined by journalist-turned-celebrant Mandy Appleyard, who shares the extraordinary story of what happened when her fiercely independent mum suffered a devastating stroke at 81 and then asked her daughters to help her die at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.

Mandy opens up about the gruelling reality of becoming a carer overnight, the slow heartbreak of watching her mum lose her speech and independence, and the moment she and her sister Kay realised they couldn't talk their mum out of her decision. Because no one tells you what it's actually like - the hidden costs, the bureaucratic maze, the private flight over the Alps, the Swiss chocolates before the final drink, and the knock on the door from police the very next evening.

It's never just about one decision. It's about grief you can't process, guilt that lingers, a two-year criminal investigation, and somehow finding your way back to a life that looks nothing like before. Mandy's honesty about the messy, complicated reality of loving someone enough to let them go, even when every part of you wants them to stay, is breathtaking.

Whether you've been a carer, lost a parent, or simply wondered what you'd do if someone you loved asked you for the unthinkable, this one will stay with you.

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