Inquest Reveals Alternative Cancer Treatment Choices
A woman who passed away from cancer had opted for five daily coffee enemas instead of chemotherapy, as revealed during an inquest into her death.
Paloma Shemirani, a 23-year-old Cambridge graduate, died from a heart attack connected to her non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the Royal Sussex County Hospital on July 24 of the previous year.
Her mother, Kay ‘Kate’ Shemirani, a nurse removed from her position and a controversial health influencer, is facing scrutiny. Paloma’s brothers have claimed she was abusive and played a significant role in encouraging their sister’s alternative treatment choices.
Kate was previously struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in 2021 for spreading COVID conspiracy theories that posed a considerable risk to public health.
During the inquest, Paloma’s twin brother, Gabriel Shemirani, expressed his belief that their mother was “entirely” responsible for Paloma’s death, claiming she interfered with proper medical treatment. He stated in the Kent and Medway Coroners Court that “in short, I believe that she sacrificed Paloma’s life for her own principles, and she should be held accountable for Paloma’s death.”
Gabriel indicated that under their mother’s care, Paloma underwent “five coffee enemas a day” as part of an alternative regimen called Gerson therapy. This therapy is based on an unverified claim that it could effectively combat cancer, which Kate purportedly said had worked for her in the past.
Gerson therapy typically includes a strict diet, supplements, and coffee enemas intended to “cleanse toxins” from the body.
While Paloma was still alive, Gabriel even took a case to the High Court to evaluate his sister’s capacity to make medical choices while living with their mother, having previously alerted social services to his concerns.
Written statements from Paloma indicated a fear of chemotherapy, expressing concerns about its potential impact on her fertility and even questioning her cancer diagnosis.
With appropriate treatment, the survival rate for individuals with non-Hodgkin lymphoma stands at around 75% over five years.
The inquest also highlighted the complicated relationship between Paloma and her mother, noting that they had been estranged when she received her diagnosis.
Gabriel suggested that Paloma had been contemplating chemotherapy but felt pressured by her parents to decline it. In a message to her, her father warned, “don’t consent to anything from the doctors; they try and kill you.” Meanwhile, her mother advised, “I’m the only one that can help you, don’t bite the hand that feeds.”
Both Kate and Paloma’s father, Faramarz Shemirani, claimed that they had evidence supporting their assertion that “Paloma died as a result of medical interventions given without confirmed diagnosis or lawful consent,” although this has yet to be substantiated.
