Brother of woman who refused chemotherapy says mother ‘sacrificed' her daughter

Independent

2 days ago

The brother of a woman who died after refusing chemotherapy told an inquest his conspiracy theorist mother 'sacrificed' his sister 'for her own principles' by advising her not to seek treatment.
Paloma Shemirani, 23, died at Royal Sussex County Hospital on July 24 last year after declining the treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Her mother, Kay 'Kate' Shemirani – who rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories, is alleged to have been 'abusive' to her children and was involved in Paloma's alternative 'treatment programme'.
Paloma's twin brother, Gabriel Shemirani, told the inquest at Kent and Medway Coroners Court, in Maidstone: 'I blame my mother entirely for my sister's death', by 'obstructing' his sister from receiving treatment.
'In short I believe that she sacrificed Paloma's life for her own principles, I believe that she should be held accountable for Paloma's death,' said Mr Shemirani.
Ms Shemirani was struck off as a nurse in 2021, and a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee found she had spread Covid-19 misinformation that 'put the public at a significant risk of harm'.
Mr Shemirani's parents split in 2014 after a relationship which had involved domestic abuse 'both ways', he told the court.
He alleged that he and his siblings 'felt unsafe' around their mother and that she had been 'emotionally distant' and physically abusive to them as children.
He further alleged during his evidence that his father, Doctor Faramarz Shemirani, was also physically abusive to him and his brother.
At the time of Paloma's cancer diagnosis in autumn 2023, she was estranged from her mother, who then advised her against conventional medicine, the court heard.
Mr Shemirani said: 'Paloma had a complicated relationship with our mother, maybe it is because she had a complicated relationship that she decided to rekindle that relationship when she became ill.
'In my opinion, Kay Shemirani directed her resentment that she held towards my other siblings and I towards Paloma.'
Mr Shemirani brought a High Court case to assess his sister's ability to exert her capacity to take medical decisions while living with her mother in April 2024.
He claimed that when Paloma was first diagnosed, she was considering chemotherapy, before their parents started to pressure her against it.
Her father sent a message to his daughter saying 'don't consent to anything from the doctors they try and kill you' and that Ms Shemirani had said 'I'm the only one that can help you, don't bite the hand that feeds', the inquest heard.
'There was no disagreement from her that this was cancer, she never expressed that to me and she never expressed it to doctors either,' said Mr Shemirani.
His parents asked questions as interested persons which alleged that Mr Shemirani was influenced and funded by others to bring the High Court case and that his actions were a factor in Paloma's death during his evidence.
'My sister didn't die from stress from the court case, my sister died from cancer and I think that's clear,' said Mr Shemirani.
Before the High Court case, Mr Shemirani also referred the situation to social services but he felt they were 'slow moving', the court heard.
He added that his younger sister had been taken away from their mother when she was 16 and that the case was 'only driven by my love and concern for my twin sister'.
Dr Shemirani claimed his son was an 'irrational' and 'unreliable witness', and that his actions had been a 'major contributing' factor to her death.
'This is not a public forum to air grievances,' Coroner Catherine Wood said.
'I don't have any aggrievances, I don't have any aggrievances,' Dr Shemirani said.
'Sounds like it,' Mr Shemirani responded.
When his questions concluded, Dr Shemirani said: 'Finally may our lord almighty exercise you from the demons that possess you amen.'
Previously, Dr Ali Ajaz, a forensic psychiatrist, provided an assessment of Paloma during High Court proceedings which read: 'I have no concerns that Ms Shemirani has been coerced or unduly influenced by any individual when making a decision about her own medical treatment.'
Mr Shemirani asserted that Dr Ajaz's sessions with his sister were 'coloured by my mother's control', which the doctor said was speculation.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Shemirani told the court that his sister was terrified of cancer, but used gallows humour as a defence mechanism.
'Are you a psychologist Gabriel?' his mother asked him.
'Are you a nurse?' he replied.
The inquest continues.