Mum’s anti-chemotherapy views influenced Paloma Shemirani’s death

A high-profile conspiracy theorist influenced her daughter to reject chemotherapy in favour of alternative treatments, which ultimately led to her death, a coroner has ruled.

Paloma Shemirani, from Uckfield in East Sussex, died in July last year – seven months after she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Ms Shemirani, 23, had declined chemotherapy in favour of juices and coffee enemas advocated for by her mother, Kate Shemirani, a former nurse who was struck off for her anti-vaccination views.

Coroner Catherine Wood said at Kent and Medway Coroners Court on Thursday: “The influence that was brought to bear on Paloma… did contribute more than minimally to her death.”

Ms Wood said Ms Shemirani died from the progression of a disease which was curable but not treated.

She added that treatment would have given Ms Shemirani an 80% chance of a complete cure.

The Cambridge graduate had initially consented to treatment, the coroner said, adding that “doubts about consent only surfaced after Mrs Shemirani became involved”.

The coroner said Ms Shemirani was being influenced by her own beliefs, her mother’s, her father’s and by those of a family friend – all who advocated the alternative treatment she used.

“I found Mrs Shemirani’s care of her daughter incomprehensible but not unlawful killing,” Ms Wood said.

Ms Shemirani’s mother tried to blame medical staff for her daughter’s death and has previously labelled chemotherapy as “mustard gas”.

Staff at Maidstone Hospital, where Ms Shemirani was diagnosed, the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, where she died, and paramedics all acted appropriately, the inquest found.

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