Latest news with #PalomaShemirani
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Kate Shemirani arranged alternative cancer care for daughter
A high-profile conspiracy theorist whose daughter died from cancer after refusing chemotherapy organised her care when she left hospital, an inquest has Shemirani, from Uckfield in East Sussex, died aged 23 in July last year, seven months after receiving a cancer diagnosis of non-Hodgkin Monday, the inquest in Maidstone into Paloma's death heard from her mother, Kate Shemirani, a former nurse who was struck off for spreading anti-medicine Covid-19 Shemirani denies influencing her daughter's decision to refuse chemotherapy, saying: "It doesn't matter what my view was, it was what Paloma wanted to do." The inquest was played a voice note from Mrs Shemirani to her daughter's boyfriend, where she told him to "put Paloma in a wheelchair to take her down to the car".The voice note was sent two or three days after Paloma had been diagnosed with cancer at Maidstone Hospital in December Shemirani told him to listen her message "in private and away from Paloma's ears" and that he had to drive Paloma away "very carefully without braking sharply".On Monday, she said she would need the "forensic data" before agreeing the voice note heard by the the court was from her, but added that whoever left the message gave "fantastic advice".She said she had not wanted Paloma to hear because she would have been frightened that she could be injured if her boyfriend drove too fast. When asked about her views on chemotherapy, Mrs Shemirani said: "Why is this about me and my opinions? Is it a witch hunt?"She told the court she had asked for Paloma, a Cambridge graduate, to have all her medical notes and results so she could have all the facts and get a second opinion from doctors they knew in Iran and Shemirani said she did not know if the records were ever sent to another oncologist or haematologist for the second opinion "because they were Paloma's records and she was 22 - an adult".Alison Hewitt, counsel at the inquest, asked Mrs Shemirani: "It is the case, isn't it, that you have expressed publicly views which are contrary to chemotherapy... you consider chemotherapy is a dangerous and toxic process and one that you wouldn't advise someone suffering cancer undergoes?"Mrs Shemirani branded the question "slanderous" and "not true", adding: "In all my public appearances I say people should get all the information and then decide."When pushed on whether she had described chemotherapy as mustard gas, she replied: "This is not relevant. You're making slanderous accusations. People should be able to choose."Mrs Shemirani has said how she had a tumour removed through however, she credits alternative therapies for her recovery and says how she used a programme including juices and coffee enemas to become "cancer-free".The former nurse said she would have supported her daughter "physically and financially" whatever her decision on receiving in the hearing, when describing the months leading up to her daughter's death, Mrs Shemirani said Paloma had chosen treatment which included nutrition, juices and spiritual support, claiming that many of her symptoms had Catherine Wood also heard from intensive care consultant Dr Peter Anderson who saw Paloma at the Royal Sussex County Hospital when paramedics brought her said a scan showed a large mass in her chest and neck which was compressing her airways and affecting major blood could have caused the cardiac arrest, he inquest continues.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
My sister choked to death on tumours after conspiracy mum told her to refuse treatment – she must be banned
WHEN devastated Gabriel Shemirani heard his twin sister Paloma had died, he could not believe it. He had been told months ago that the 23-year-old Cambridge graduate's cancer was curable — but she had refused life-saving chemotherapy after going to live with their anti-vaxxer mum. 7 7 In a doomed attempt to cure her non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Paloma, from Uckfield, East Sussex, had followed a bogus coffee-based treatment promoted by the Australian cancer faker Belle Gibson. Recalling the heartbreaking moment a friend told him his sister had died after choking on her tumours, Gabriel tells The Sun: 'That's the most difficult part, because you're trying to do everything in your brain to think it's not real, it's not true. 'And every time you utter the words to someone else, that 'Paloma is dead' it feels like you're being burned alive.' At an inquest in Maidstone, Kent, last week, Gabriel blamed his mother Kate Shemirani — a former NHS nurse — for the death of his sister. 'People are dying. This needs to stop' Kate, 59, was struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in May 2021 after claiming that the Covid virus was a hoax. She wrote that 'the NHS is the new Auschwitz' and regularly posted messages on social media opposing chemotherapy. Now she is advertising herself as a 'natural nurse' on her website. Gabriel, 24, wants a change in the law to protect patients from medical misinformation. The economics and maths student says: 'I couldn't save my sister, but there's still time to save others. 'People are dying. This needs to stop. Mum sacrificed my sister for anti-vax views, says twin of woman who died after refusing chemo for 'treatable' cancer 'The law is so out-of-date that we can have a woman that's killed her daughter still claiming to be a nurse. 'I believe my sister was being coerced. It's conspiratorial coercion when you convince her the elites are going to kill them, big pharma's going to kill them, even the doctors at the hospital are going to kill them.' Gabriel's mother has been banned from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok but was reinstated on X after billionaire Elon Musk took over. She denies responsibility — and blames the paramedics who tried to save her daughter's life. A year after Paloma's death, Gabriel is still feeling the loss of his sister. He says: 'With a twin they've always been there by your side. 'There's so much that doesn't need to be said because you already understand it, — it's almost like you have your own language. We were incredibly close — at no point did we ever fall out.' Growing up together with two other siblings in a troubled household also strengthened their bond. I wasn't able to have any meaningful conversation with my sister because she was out of it. That was the last time I saw Paloma. Gabriel on sister Paloma Their Iranian father Faramarz believed in conspiracy theories, such as the idea that the US government blew up the Twin Towers in New York on 9/11. From the age of nine, his mother told him to stop using suncream, and a couple of years later banned the kids from drinking tap water. At the inquest, Gabriel also claimed that she had been 'emotionally distant' and physically abusive during his childhood. In 2012, Kate was diagnosed with cancer, which she survived after having a double mastectomy. But she credits her survival to alternative treatments, including the controversial Gerson therapy which involves taking coffee enemas. Belle Gibson, who was the subject of the Netflix drama Apple Cider Vinegar, promoted the fake Gerson 'cure' before it was revealed she did not have terminal brain cancer. Like Gibson, Kate became a wellness guru — and Gabriel says: 'I think she saw her way to get that attention she'd always craved.' When the pandemic began in 2020, Gabriel was the last sibling living at the family home, with his father having moved back to Iran after separating from Kate six years earlier. But he moved out, preferring to 'sofa surf' over being locked down with his mother — and he says he 'wasn't surprised' when her extreme views made headlines. During a protest in London's Trafalgar Square in 2021, Kate asked for the names of doctors and nurses to be sent to her, before warning: 'At the Nuremberg Trials, the doctors and nurses stood trial and they hung.' 7 Gabriel thought his sister was free of his mum's influence — but that all changed when Paloma was told she had cancer in late December 2023 and went to live back at home. Fearing that his sister wasn't going to accept the cancer treatment recommended by the NHS, Gabriel went to visit her on Christmas Day. He says he argued with his mum, adding: 'I wasn't able to have any meaningful conversation with my sister because she was out of it. That was the last time I saw Paloma.' Blocked from visiting, Gabriel sent messages begging Paloma to try chemotherapy. He received no response, so he took the extraordinary measure of trying to take his mum to the High Court, arguing that his sister was being 'coerced' by her. 'I don't talk to her, I have no feelings for her' Gabriel also asked social services to investigate, but claims they only spoke to Paloma on the phone while her mum was in the room. He says: 'For four or five months, I was living in constant fear that I was gonna get that phone call from someone saying my sister had died.' Unknown to him, his sister's condition was deteriorating rapidly. After collapsing at her mother's home on July 19 last year, Paloma was flown by air ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Osteopath Nick Gosset, who assessed Paloma that day, told the inquest she was 'a young lady who was in the last stages of a very difficult disease, and she had declined to engage with conventional treatment.' The doctor 'had never seen anything like' the amount of growths going from her right shoulder to her neck during his 43 years in medicine. Five days later Paloma's life support machine was shut off, she had a heart attack as a result of the cancer. It would be another six days before Gabriel learned his sister had died. I think people like my mum should be regulated like a doctor should be regulated. If you are making medical claims, health claims, you should be held to account. Gabriel on his mother Kate Neither he nor his brother Sebastian were told about the funeral which took place in August last year. Gabriel says: 'She was cremated without our knowledge.' Now he no longer wants to have anything to do with 'that woman.' Gabriel, who calls his mum by her real name Kay, says: 'We're complete strangers. I don't talk to her — I have no feelings for her.' Kate's version of events is very different to the medical practitioners who treated Paloma. She claims on her blog that her daughter 'did not die of cancer' and was instead the victim of medical negligence. Kate says that paramedics should not have given Paloma adrenaline. On her website, she accuses the coroner of attempting to 'harass' her and 'acting unlawfully.' The former nurse also says that 'viruses and their transmission was invented' and that 5G masts were responsible for Covid. She offers one-hour consultations and branded vitamins for £75 a bottle through her website. The inquest is set to resume next week and take three days to conclude. Whatever verdict the coroner gives, this battle is not over for Gabriel. He is on a mission to properly regulate the ever-growing alternative medicine industry. Gabriel wants to prevent others relying on unproven treatments and has spoken out on the BBC's Panorama documentary Cancer Conspiracy Theories. He says: 'I think people like my mum should be regulated like a doctor should be regulated. 'If you are making medical claims, health claims, you should be held to account.' The global wellness industry is valued at over £5trillion and the authorities are struggling to challenge the countless over-inflated claims being made for natural remedies. Vitamins and a healthier diet can help cancer patients, but there is no scientific basis for claims that they are alternatives to proven treatments such as chemotherapy. Gabriel wants the Online Safety Act — designed to prevent children accessing harmful material and adults seeing illegal content — to also be used to stop medical misinformation. He says: 'Harmful but legal is still allowed for adults. These laws around promotion of treatments for cancer need to be changed.' Until then, 'natural nurse' Kate will continue to try to influence vulnerable patients hoping for a miracle cure. 7 7
The Sun
01-08-2025
- Health
- The Sun
‘Suspicious' antivax mum accuses paramedics of ‘killing' model daughter after she refused ‘lifesaving' cancer treatment
CONSPIRACY theorist Kay "Kate" Shemirani has accused paramedics of killing her daughter after she refused lifesaving cancer treatment, an inquest has heard. Paloma Shemirani, a 23-year-old University of Cambridge graduate, collapsed on July 19 last year and was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital. 9 9 She died just five days later, on July 24 of a heart attack. Just months earlier, Paoloma, who was a finalist in Miss Universe Great Britain 2021, had declined treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma - a type of blood cancer which starts in the lymph nodes. Her mother, Kate who rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories, said her daughter "deteriorated catastrophically" when paramedics intervened. Kate, who was involved in Paloma's "alternative treatment" called her friend before calling an ambulance the day her daughter collapsed, the inquest at Kent and Medway Coroner's Court in Maidstone, heard. On Wednesday, reading a prepared witness statement, she accused the inquest of "attempting to shift focus" from the "real" cause of Paloma's death. "Any attempt to place responsibility on me is false - the people who need to be answering are those who failed to confirm diagnosis, administered drugs without her consent which could have damaged her heart," said Kate. Kate told the court that a "sequence of medical actions" caused her daughter's death, which she claimed amounted to "gross negligence manslaughter". She claims that while in hospital in December 2023, Paloma was given medication without her consent and felt "pressured and bullied" by medical staff. "I became very suspicious and deeply concerned about what was happening," Kate told the coroner. Paloma's twin brother, Gabriel Shemirani, suggests that when Paloma was first diagnosed, she was considering chemotherapy, before their parents started to pressure her against it. Kate was struck off as a nurse in 2021, having qualified in the 1980s 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". After her stay in hospital in December 2023, Paloma began an alternative treatment programme which included daily coffee enemas, a strict diet and green juices, the inquest heard previously. "Paloma made her own treatment choices based on her values, research and experiences," said Kate. She added that her daughter was "never a victim of coercion" and that she "continued to improve physically" under her alternative medicines. "She was determined to get well on her own terms and this is well documented in her own high court statement which was read out in this coroner's hearing" said Kate. On the day she collapsed, she had an appointment with an osteopath, Nick Gosset, who described her on Wednesday as "a young lady who was in the last stages of a very difficult disease" and said he advised she seek medical help. 9 9 'She's dying' Today, her mother disagreed saying: "On the morning of July 19 Paloma was well. "She looks healthy and good colour ... she was smiling and laughing, she was not as described yesterday by the osteopath." Paloma collapsed at home later that day, and her mother called her friend who then called an ambulance while they initiated CPR. On the 999 call played to the court, Kate was heard shouting "she's dying" to the operator before the paramedics arrived. She also told the ambulance operator "it's difficult to lie her on her front because she has a medicinal mass" in her throat, the inquest heard. In her evidence, Kate told the court that when the paramedics arrived they administered adrenaline "then everything went horribly wrong" following their intervention and her daughter went into "full circulatory collapse". "I knew at this point that they'd done something, given something that had caused this," she said. 9 9 Kate added: "She deteriorated catastrophically upon their arrival and their intervention." Dr Anderson said Paloma received a standard adult dose of adrenaline during the cardiac arrest, and that this was acceptable even given how thin she was at the time. Paloma was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton on a ventilator, and brain stem death was declared on the afternoon of July 24, 2024 after a series of nationally advised medical checks. 'Trying to conceal cause of death' Kate said the decision taken was rushed and said that the brain stem testing was not the same in the UK as it was in the US, and wanted an MRI. Intensivist and anaesthetist Dr Peter Anderson, who was on shift when Paloma died, explained: "I thought the risk of deterioration and uncontrolled death was extremely high." Dr Anderson noted that on the 999 call, Kate called out Paloma's oxygen saturation which was "critically low" at 36 then 35. He told the coroner that if Paloma's 'sats' were that low for a significant time then the brain damage was done before the paramedics arrived. Kate said: "We are deeply concerned this inquest is attempting to shift focus on the cause of death." Later she added: "We believe this to be an attempt to pervert the course of justice and conceal the cause of Paloma's death." The inquest continues. 9 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, as recommended by the NHS Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is usually treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, although some people may not need treatment straight away. In a few cases, if the initial cancer is very small and can be removed during a biopsy, no further treatment may be needed. If non-Hodgkin lymphoma is low grade (slow developing) and a person is well, a period of "watch and wait" is often recommended. This is because some people take many years to develop troublesome symptoms and starting treatment immediately is often felt to be unnecessary. But in other cases, chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells. If non-Hodgkin lymphoma doesn't get better with initial treatment (known as refractory lymphoma), you may have a course of chemotherapy at a stronger dose. But this intensive chemotherapy destroys your bone marrow, and can lead to the following side effects: Nausea and vomiting Diarrhoea Loss of appetite Mouth ulcers Tiredness Skin rashes Hair loss Infertility, which may be temporary or permanent A stem cell or bone marrow transplant is then needed to replace the damaged bone marrow. Radiotherapy is most often used to treat early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, where the cancer is only in one part of the body. And for some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you may have a type of medicine called a monoclonal antibody. These medicines attach themselves to both healthy and cancerous cells, and signal to the immune system to attack and kill the cells. Other potential non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatments include: Cancer growth blockers Steroid medicine Immunotherapy Source: NHS
The Independent
31-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Conspiracy theorist claims daughter died by medical gross negligence manslaughter
A high-profile conspiracy theorist claims her daughter's death was caused by gross negligence manslaughter from medical staff, an inquest heard. Paloma Shemirani, 23, collapsed on July 19 last year and was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital where she died five days later having earlier declined treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Her mother, Kay 'Kate' Shemirani, who rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid -19 conspiracy theories, said her daughter 'deteriorated catastrophically' when paramedics intervened. Ms Shemirani, who was involved in Paloma's 'alternative treatment' called her friend before calling an ambulance the day her daughter collapsed, the inquest at Kent and Medway Coroner's Court in Maidstone, heard. On Wednesday, reading a prepared witness statement, she accused the inquest of 'attempting to shift focus' from the 'real' cause of Paloma's death. 'Any attempt to place responsibility on me is false – the people who need to be answering are those who failed to confirm diagnosis, administered drugs without her consent which could have damaged her heart,' said Ms Shemirani. She claims that while in hospital in December 2023, Paloma was given medication without her consent and felt 'pressured and bullied' by medical staff. 'I became very suspicious and deeply concerned about what was happening,' Ms Shemirani told the coroner. Paloma's twin brother Gabriel Shemirani suggests that when Paloma was first diagnosed, she was considering chemotherapy, before their parents started to pressure her against it. Ms Shemirani was struck off as a nurse in 2021, having qualified in the 1980s 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'. After her stay in hospital in December 2023, Paloma began an alternative treatment programme which included daily coffee enemas, a strict diet and green juices, the inquest heard previously. 'Paloma made her own treatment choices based on her values, research and experiences,' said Ms Shemirani. She added that her daughter was 'never a victim of coercion' and that she 'continued to improve physically' under her alternative medicines. 'She was determined to get well on her own terms and this is well documented in her own high court statement which was read out in this coroner's hearing' said Ms Shemirani. On the day she collapsed, she had an appointment with an osteopath, Nick Gosset, who described her on Wednesday as 'a young lady who was in the last stages of a very difficult disease' and said he advised she seek medical help. Today, her mother disagreed saying: 'On the morning of July 19 Paloma was well. 'She looks healthy and good colour … she was smiling and laughing, she was not as described yesterday by the osteopath.' Paloma collapsed at home later that day, and her mother called her friend who then called an ambulance while they initiated CPR. On the 999 call played to the court, Ms Shemirani was heard shouting 'she's dying' to the operator before the paramedics arrived. She also told the ambulance operator 'it's difficult to lie her on her front because she has a medicinal mass' in her throat, the inquest heard. In her evidence, Ms Shemirani told the court that when the paramedics arrived they administered adrenaline 'then everything went horribly wrong' following their intervention and her daughter went into 'full circulatory collapse'. 'I knew at this point that they'd done something, given something that had caused this,' she said. Ms Shemirani added: 'She deteriorated catastrophically upon their arrival and their intervention.' Paloma was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton on a ventilator, and brain stem death was declared on the afternoon of July 24 2024 after a series of nationally advised medical checks. Ms Shemirani said the decision taken was rushed and said that the brain stem testing was not the same in the UK as it was in the US, and wanted an MRI. Intensivist and anaesthetist Dr Peter Anderson, who was on shift when Paloma died, explained: 'I thought the risk of deterioration and uncontrolled death was extremely high.' Ms Shemirani said: 'We are deeply concerned this inquest is attempting to shift focus on the cause of death.' Later she added: 'We believe this to be an attempt to pervert the course of justice and conceal the cause of Paloma's death.' The inquest continues.
BreakingNews.ie
31-07-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Conspiracy theorist says daughter (23) who refused chemo died by gross negligence manslaughter
A high-profile conspiracy theorist claims her daughter's death was caused by gross negligence manslaughter from medical staff, an inquest in England heard. Paloma Shemirani (23) collapsed on July 19th last year and was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where she died five days later having earlier declined treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Advertisement Her mother, Kay 'Kate' Shemirani, who rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories, said her daughter 'deteriorated catastrophically' when paramedics intervened. Ms Shemirani, who was involved in Paloma's 'alternative treatment' called her friend before calling an ambulance the day her daughter collapsed, the inquest at Kent and Medway Coroner's Court in Maidstone, heard. On Wednesday, reading a prepared witness statement, she accused the inquest of 'attempting to shift focus' from the 'real' cause of Paloma's death. 'Any attempt to place responsibility on me is false – the people who need to be answering are those who failed to confirm diagnosis, administered drugs without her consent which could have damaged her heart,' said Ms Shemirani. Advertisement Ms Shemirani told the court that a 'sequence of medical actions' caused her daughter's death, which she claimed amounted to 'gross negligence manslaughter'. She claims that while in hospital in December 2023, Paloma was given medication without her consent and felt 'pressured and bullied' by medical staff. 'I became very suspicious and deeply concerned about what was happening,' Ms Shemirani told the coroner. Paloma's twin brother Gabriel Shemirani suggests that when Paloma was first diagnosed, she was considering chemotherapy, before their parents started to pressure her against it. Advertisement Gabriel Shemirani, Paloma Shemirani's twin brother (Gareth Fuller/PA) Ms Shemirani was struck off as a nurse in 2021, having qualified in the 1980s 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'. After her stay in hospital in December 2023, Paloma began an alternative treatment programme which included daily coffee enemas, a strict diet and green juices, the inquest heard previously. 'Paloma made her own treatment choices based on her values, research and experiences,' said Ms Shemirani. She added that her daughter was 'never a victim of coercion' and that she 'continued to improve physically' under her alternative medicines. Advertisement 'She was determined to get well on her own terms and this is well documented in her own high court statement which was read out in this coroner's hearing' said Ms Shemirani. On the day she collapsed, she had an appointment with an osteopath, Nick Gosset, who described her on Wednesday as 'a young lady who was in the last stages of a very difficult disease' and said he advised she seek medical help. Today, her mother disagreed saying: 'On the morning of July 19th Paloma was well. 'She looks healthy and good colour … she was smiling and laughing, she was not as described yesterday by the osteopath.' Advertisement Paloma collapsed at home later that day, and her mother called her friend who then called an ambulance while they initiated CPR. On the 999 call played to the court, Ms Shemirani was heard shouting 'she's dying' to the operator before the paramedics arrived. She also told the ambulance operator 'it's difficult to lie her on her front because she has a medicinal mass' in her throat, the inquest heard. In her evidence, Ms Shemirani told the court that when the paramedics arrived they administered adrenaline 'then everything went horribly wrong' following their intervention and her daughter went into 'full circulatory collapse'. 'I knew at this point that they'd done something, given something that had caused this,' she said. Ms Shemirani added: 'She deteriorated catastrophically upon their arrival and their intervention.' Dr Anderson said Paloma received a standard adult dose of adrenaline during the cardiac arrest, and that this was acceptable even given how thin she was at the time. Paloma was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton on a ventilator, and brain stem death was declared on the afternoon of July 24 2024 after a series of nationally advised medical checks. Ms Shemirani said the decision taken was rushed and said that the brain stem testing was not the same in the UK as it was in the US, and wanted an MRI. Intensivist and anaesthetist Dr Peter Anderson, who was on shift when Paloma died, explained: 'I thought the risk of deterioration and uncontrolled death was extremely high.' Dr Anderson noted that on the 999 call, Ms Shemirani called out Paloma's oxygen saturation which was 'critically low' at 36 then 35. He told the coroner that if Paloma's 'sats' were that low for a significant time then the brain damage was done before the paramedics arrived. Ms Shemirani said: 'We are deeply concerned this inquest is attempting to shift focus on the cause of death.' Later she added: 'We believe this to be an attempt to pervert the course of justice and conceal the cause of Paloma's death.' The inquest continues.
