The controversial advice of her former nurse mother, now a high-profile conspiracy theorist, led to fatal consequences for 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani.
Paloma lost her life in July last year following a battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma after refusing chemotherapy.
She was on an “alternative” recovery journey overseen by her mother, Kate Shemirani, who treated her with five coffee enemas a day instead of traditional medicine.
Highlights
- Paloma Shemirani, 23, tragically passed away after refusing chemotherapy for her treatable non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Instead of conventional treatment, she followed an “alternative” treatment called the Gerson therapy on the advice of her mother, Kate Shemirani.
- Kate, who was a former nurse, lost her license in 2021 and since, became a well-known controversial wellness influencer and theorist.
- During an inquest, a UK coroner noted that the 60-year-old’s misinformed guidance “contributed more than minimally” to her daughter’s demise.
A UK coroner highlighted how the anti-vax mother’s influence led to Paloma’s untimely demise during an inquest hearing into the case on October 2.
UK coroner shared how ill-advised treatment from a controversial health-influencer mom led to Paloma Shemirani losing her life
Image credits: Gareth Fuller / Getty Images
Paloma was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and was told by doctors that it was “treatable” with chemotherapy, giving her an 80% chance of recovery.
Shortly after the diagnosis, the 23-year-old moved in with her mother, who rejected chemotherapy and instead put her on cleansing juices and coffee enemas, as disclosed by Paloma’s brothers.
In July 2024, Paloma collapsed at home from a heart attack and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, where she passed away five days later.
Image credits: Kate Shemirani / Facebook
A year later, in July this year, an inquest began to determine whether Kate influenced her daughter into refusing chemotherapy.
During the conclusion hearing at Kent and Medway Coroner’s Court on Thursday, Coroner Catherine Wood firmly stated her belief that the anti-vaxxer was “more than minimally” responsible for her daughter’s demise.
The deceased was diagnosed with “treatable” non-Hodgkin lymphoma and was given an 80% chance of recovery
Image credits: Hollie Adams / Getty Images
“The influence that was brought to bear on Paloma... did contribute more than minimally to her d**th… [Kate] took a leading role in advising Paloma in respect of and facilitating access to alternative treatments.”
Shedding light on how Paloma had initially consented to chemotherapy, Wood noted that “doubts about consent only surfaced after Mrs. Shemirani became involved.”
"I found Mrs Shemirani's care of her daughter incomprehensible but not unlawful ki**ing,” the coroner stated.
Image credits: Kate Shemirani / Facebook
Wood also expressed her belief that if Kate had supported her daughter in receiving proper treatment, Paloma would have “accepted her diagnosis” and could have been saved.
“If approached with an open mind, Paloma would have chosen the chance to survive, and if she had undergone chemotherapy, she probably would have survived.”
Kate Shemirani, a former nurse, was removed from the British Nurses Registry in 2021 over her controversial wellness beliefs
Image credits: Kate Shemirani / Facebook
A breast cancer survivor herself, Kate credited her recovery to Gerson therapy, an “alternative treatment” that claims to “detoxify” the body through a strict vegan diet, natural juices, supplements, and frequent coffee enemas.
The FDA has not approved Gerson therapy for the treatment of cancer or any other condition, yet Mrs. Shemirani relied on it for Paloma’s care.
Following her daughter’s passing, the online influencer attempted to blame the medical staff at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
However, the inquest concluded that the staff at Maidstone Hospital, where Paloma was diagnosed, the Royal Sussex County Hospital, and paramedics had all acted appropriately.
Image credits: BBC
Image credits: BBC
While the inquest did not hold Kate legally responsible for her daughter’s passing, Coroner Catherine Wood noted that her influence “seeded some form of doubt in Paloma’s mind as to her diagnosis.”
Previously, Paloma’s written statements prior to her passing were submitted and read in court, in which she denied having cancer altogether, describing the diagnosis as an “absurd fantasy, with no proof.”
Paloma firmly believed in her mother’s “alternative” treatment and even called her cancer diagnosis an “absurd fantasy”
Image credits: Gareth Fuller / Getty Images
“I do not want to undergo such a harsh treatment that could even k**l me when there is a possibility this is not cancer,” she wrote.
While her parents did not attend the conclusion hearing, her brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian Shemirani, were present and blamed their mother for their sister’s loss.
Gabriel told the court, “I blame my mother entirely for my sister's d**th!”
Netizens seemed to agree with his views, as several harshly criticized Kate for not ensuring her daughter received the proper care she needed.
One social media user commented, “She should be held accountable, as should all parents whenever their child dies from a preventable and treatable disease.”
Image credits: This Morning / YouTube
Another wrote, “80% odds with chemo sounds pretty good to me. I believe her daughters d**th is on her hands.”
“Terrible that her mother discouraged her from getting treatment. She would probably still be here today,” a third added.
“She loved her, trusted her, and wanted to please her. Sadly, she was betrayed by this person who brought her into this world.”
“I blame my mother entirely,” said one of Paloma’s brothers, Gabriel Shemirani, during the inquest court hearing
Image credits: Proper-Gander Clips / YouTube
While the majority consensus blamed Kate for the tragedy, some defended her firmly against the backlash.
The global pharmaceutical industry is a massive enterprise, with annual sales recorded at around $1.6 to $1.7 trillion in the early to mid-2020s.
In light of this, defenders of the wellness influencer argued that the media was trying to “shame her” because they were all working in favor of big pharmaceutical companies.
Image credits: Miss Universe Great Britain / YouTube
The American conservative television and radio host, Wayne Allyn Root, wrote, “Media is bought & paid for by Big Pharma. Do u know how many people d** of cancer each year? TEN MILLION- they've all had chemo &/or radiation, or both. It didn't work.”
“Yet this 1 gal tried to heal her cancer naturally & they want to shame her mom.”
Others, echoing his statement, added, “I'm all for alternative treatments, provided there are real MDs proving that they can work… There are other proven alternatives to chemo.”
Image credits: Kate Shemirani / Facebook
According to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health, chemotherapy is generally effective for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with a high percentage of patients achieving complete remission.
In contrast, alternative cancer treatments like Gerson therapy have “no evidence that they help people with cancer,” according to the National Cancer Institute in the USA.
Due to its lack of credible effectiveness, major health organizations across the globe strongly advise against using it as an alternative to conventional treatments like chemotherapy.
“Shows how dangerous misinformation and pressure from loved ones can be,” expressed one social media user
