A University of Cambridge graduate who died after refusing chemotherapy told a court before her death that she was anti-vax, taking health advice from her mother, an inquest has heard.
Cambridge graduate and model Paloma Shemirani died last July after refusing conventional cancer treatments for her treatable non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
Her mother, Kay ‘Kate’ Shemirani, was a notorious anti-vaxxer who was struck off the UK’s nursing register in 2021 for her extreme anti-medicine views, including discouraging the use of masks and vaccines during Covid.
She rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories, the inquest at Oakwood House in Maidstone, Kent, heard previously.
In written statements submitted to the family division of the High Court in Spring 2024, Paloma described herself as ‘anti-vax’ and that she declined chemotherapy partly because of her ‘background in natural healing’, the inquest heard on Monday.
The proceedings, which involved the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, were on the appropriateness of her care.
Paloma said she was ‘delighted’ with her alternative treatment and ‘sure’ she would ‘make a full recovery’ if left to continue it.
She also claimed her human rights had been violated by NHS practitioners in the statement, which was read by lawyer Alison Hewitt.
Cambridge graduate and model Paloma Shemirani died aged 23 last July after refusing medical assistance for her treatable non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a form of blood cance
Paloma’s mother Kate Shemirani speaks at an anti-vaxx rally – she has a large online following and is well-known in conspiracy circles
Paloma (left) was the daughter of Kate (right), a notorious anti-vaxxer who was struck off the UK’s nursing register in 2021 for her extreme anti-medicine views, including discouraging the use of masks and vaccines during Covid
It said: ‘I am far from being a vulnerable young adult. Apart from becoming independent after I moved to Cambridge for university, I have practised the same principles that I grew up with.
‘I have always been extremely health conscious: sticking to all-organic produce, I prepare all my own meals and I absolutely do not drink or cook with tap water.
‘I have never taken drugs, despite pressure to, and I rarely drink alcohol.
‘If I became ill, I’ve always turned to my mum first for advice as she is a trained nurse and qualified nutritionist.
‘Practically fanatical about my health, my close friends know me as a staunch advocate for all proven natural healing’.
She described her mother as ‘an extremely forceful advocate for natural health’ who is ‘misquoted’ by people claiming ‘those natural solutions are conspiratorial’.
Ms Shemirani was struck off as a nurse in 2021, with a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee finding that she had spread Covid-19 misinformation that ‘put the public at a significant risk of harm’, the inquest heard previously.
The anti-vax mother previously joined the Coroner’s court online – and immediately indicated she is apparently unrepentant on her outspoken opinions.
Paloma was a Cambridge graduate who picked up A* and A grades in her A Levels and had aspirations to build a career in publishing
Mrs Shemirani referred to her daughter’s cancer as a ‘purported diagnosis’ as she argued with Coroner Catherine Wood about what evidence should be heard at the Kent inquest.
Despite initially having been given a positive prognosis that she could survive her condition, former Miss Brighton finalist Paloma died just seven months after her diagnosis after refusing help.
Her two brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian, and her former boyfriend, Ander Harris, have since gone on record to claim Paloma had been coerced by her mother into refusing medical help – a claim their mother has denied.
The brothers first spoke out in a BBC Panorama interview last month, where they first revealed the accusations made against their mother.
Mrs Shemirani, who describes herself as a ‘natural nurse’ to her 80,000 followers on Elon Musk’s X, believes in ‘Gerson therapy’ – a belief that a vegan diet, natural juices, coffee enemas and supplements can cure cancer.
Another statement in Paloma’s name added ‘my friends know me as a staunch advocate of the Gerson therapy’.
She said she had been using Gerson therapy as one mode of treatment on the advice of her mother’s ex-fiancee, Doctor Patrick Villers, and that at 15 years old, she spent three weeks in his camp in Mexico where it was practised.
Gerson therapy involves a strict organic vegetarian diet and enemas and has been used in cancer treatment, though Cancer Research UK says that there is no scientific evidence it can be used as a treatment for cancer.
Twin brother Gabriel Shemirani (left) and former boyfriend to Paloma Ander Harris (right) attend today’s inquest
Paloma was trying to grow close to her mother – ultimately following her health advice, according to her brothers
Her GP was also monitoring her blood and progress, she said.
The former Cambridge student went on to deny having the disease and said ‘I was not diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma… I have never had a shadow on my lung, this is absurd fantasy, no proof’.
She described the diagnosis as ‘suspected and unconfirmed’, and said a ‘differential diagnosis’ only meant cancer could not be ruled out.
Paloma understood that she had a one in five chance of surviving the commonplace R-CHOP treatment that was offered, and feared it would likely make her infertile, the inquest heard.
‘I do not want to undergo such a harsh treatment that could even kill me when there is a possibility this is not cancer,’ she said.
The High Court statement alleged multiple violations of human rights in her care, the inquest heard, including Articles 3, 6 and 8 and possibly Articles 1, 5 and 12.
‘I am so shocked, as are others assisting me, especially my mother, that this could take place today’, the statement said.
‘These were put in place forever to prevent what Dr Mengele did in the second world war. How could this happen today?’, it continued.
Notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele performed experiments on his victims in Auschwitz.
Paloma pictured her twin brother Gabriel, who blames his mother for her death of his sister after she listened to her mother’s anti-medicine views and refused treatment
Paloma studied Portuguese and Spanish at the University of Cambridge
The patient said symptoms she presented in hospital with – including a swollen face, excruciating chest pain being unable to move her arm – had subsided.
Earlier this month, Paloma’s inquest heard from haematology consultant Dr Mohan who detailed how the young woman was diagnosed and how a treatment plan was created.
The coroner’s court heard that Paloma was first admitted to A&E on October 4 2023 with chest pain, a fever and a lump in the neck.
She was then admitted on December 3 and was put forward for an emergency CT scan the next day.
After a biopsy was also taken, Paloma was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma with a large mass being found near her sternum.
While the consultant was asked about scans from radiology Mrs Shemirani shouted ‘I’d like to object’ to which the coroner told her she could not object to a witness statement.
Dr Arunodaya Mohen said that as part of a standard treatment plan Paloma was advised to start six cycles of chemotherapy – each lasting 14 days.
Steroids would also be provided, with radiotherapy and stents being considered later down the line.
Paloma, pictured during her time at the University of Cambridge, was talked out of accepting treatment by her mother, her brothers and former boyfriend say
The doctor said side effects of the treatment, which could have been taken as an inpatient or outpatient, include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, changes to nails and the production of ‘tumour lives’ which can produce toxins and affect chemicals in the body.
Dr Mohen added: ‘Chemotherapy can affect fertility so we offered Paloma full fertility preservation before she went ahead with chemotherapy.
‘We had a discussion regarding on fertility and we discussed a referral to a tertiary centre. And she was happy to go ahead with the fertility preservation and we discussed the pet scan.
‘At that point I don’t think I had any concerns [about her capacity]. We went through the management plan at that time and that’s when we gave her the cure rate of 80 per cent during that conversation.’
At this stage, Paloma’s cancer was considered to be a stage one mass and due to her age and extent of the disease she had a good chance of survival.
Her doctor said: ‘She was very low risk and had an 80 per cent chance of survival which is an excellent cure rate.’
After first meeting with Paloma on December 22, Dr Mohan had discussed treatment options and a potential PET scan with Paloma to which she is said to have nodded in agreement.
Yet the next day Paloma appeared to have changed her mind and was exploring ‘unconventional’ treatment options.
The consultant said she had been surprised when Paloma said that she would not be continuing treatment.
Mrs Shemirani, who describes herself as a ‘natural nurse’ to her 80,000 followers on Elon Musk’s X, believes in ‘Gerson therapy’ – a belief that a vegan diet, natural juices, coffee enemas and supplements can cure cancer
She claims, without evidence, that her daughter was deliberately killed by the NHS
Dr Mohan added: ‘It was not expected that she was not going ahead with the treatment.
‘She said she hadn’t made up her mind yet and she might be cancelling her treatment. I can’t remember what treatment that was in favour of but it wasn’t a conventional treatment.
‘She would not disclose why she was worried about the treatment but I did ask her and my team was worried that she might not undergo treatment.’
Dr Mohan said she had only had one conversation with Paloma’s mother over the phone and had not discussed Mrs Shemirani being Paloma’s power of attorney.
She said Mrs Shemirani had repeated Paloma’s concerns about the side effects of steroids and said ‘she wasn’t happy with the Pet scan’.
Dr Mohan added: ‘I said we would ask Paloma what she wanted and if she decided this treatment I will go in that direction.
‘We thought at the time she had full capacity in what was going on. I didn’t even want to talk to mum as I didn’t think it was helpful.’
It’s understood that Paloma’s father Faramarz also believes in conspiracy theories, but is divorced and living separately to her mother.
Gabriel and his brother Sebastian went public last month, claiming their sister died because she refused conventional chemotherapy treatment.
The brothers said that doctors gave Paloma an 80 per cent chance of survival but rejected the treatment because of pressure from her mother whom she had been trying to improve her relationship with.
They claimed that Mrs Shemirani, whose real name is Kay, had sought to isolate her only daughter from her family, boyfriend and friends with Paloma even sending messages that she was being ‘abused’ by her mother. Her mother denies this.
Kate, who describes herself as a ‘natural nurse’ to her 80,000 followers on Elon Musk’s X, believes in ‘Gerson therapy’ – a belief that a vegan diet, natural juices, coffee enemas and supplements can cure cancer.
Ahead of the opening of the inquest on July 18, Gabriel and his older brother Sebastian, 26, are calling for the law to be changed to include conspiracy theories as a means of coercive control.
They are calling for the change as they believe despite Paloma being an adult she was not in a position to refuse treatment due to coercion from her parents who both push conspiracy theories.
Speaking ahead of the inquest, Sebastian, who splits his time between Hong Kong and Georgia told The Sunday Times: ‘If someone is rejecting cancer treatment for non-terminal cancer, that is evidence that they are not making the right decisions.’
The brothers are also calling for it to be made illegal that unqualified or unregistered people call themselves ‘doctors or nurses’.
The inquest continues.
