A coroner has ruled that a woman who died after refusing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma was “adversely influenced” by her conspiracy theorist mother. Paloma Shemirani, 23, died in July 2024 after declining conventional treatment despite doctors advising an 80% chance of recovery.
At an inquest in Maidstone, coroner Catherine Wood stated that the influence of Kay and Faramarz Shemirani “more than minimally” contributed to her death. She said Kay Shemirani “took a leading role in advising Paloma in respect of and facilitating access to alternative treatments”. Wood added: “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.”
Consultant haematologist Arunodaya Mohan told the inquest that Paloma initially agreed to a PET scan and steroids but later declined chemotherapy. Mohan said Kay Shemirani expressed concerns about the proposed treatment, and there were concerns she was influencing Paloma. However, Paloma insisted the decision was her own.
Paloma, a Cambridge graduate, had been estranged from her mother until her diagnosis. She moved in with her mother after leaving hospital, and Mohan noted a change in her attitude, as she “completely discharged the treatment”. In high court statements, Paloma cited her “background in natural healing” and said she turned to her mother for advice, describing her as a “trained nurse and qualified nutritionist”.
Kay Shemirani, known online as Kate Shemirani, was struck off as a nurse in 2021 for spreading Covid-19 misinformation. Paloma’s twin brother, Gabriel, told the inquest: “I blame my mother entirely for my sister’s death… I believe that she sacrificed Paloma’s life for her own principles.”
