An NHS doctor has told an inquest into the death of 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani - who died months after refusing treatment for cancer - that she was concerned her mother could have influenced the decision.
The Cambridge graduate refused chemotherapy after being diagnosed in December 2023, and died just seven months later in July - despite a doctor telling her she had an 80 per cent chance of survival if she underwent treatment.
Paloma’s brothers have spoken out publicly in recent weeks, accusing their mother Kate Shemirani of influencing Paloma into refusing treatment that could have saved her life.
Kate is a former nurse who was struck off in 2021 for sharing anti-vaxx misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has a large following across social media, where she shares anti-medicine conspiracy theories to millions of people online.
Arunodaya Mohan, a consultant haematologist at Maidstone Hospital told the inquest on Friday at Oakwood House in Maidstone, Kent, that Kate had raised concerns with experts about the treatment plan seven months before Paloma’s death.
Dr Mohan met Paloma on December 22 2023 to set out the treatment plan after her diagnosis. She told the inquest she recommended steroids and a PET (positron emission tomography) scan, adding that Paloma “nodded in agreement”.
But soon after that, Paloma told Ms Mohan that she had not made her mind up about the treatment and wished to explore other options.
Dr Mohan said that she spoke on the phone with Paloma’s mother, saying that she expressed “concerns” about the side-effects of steroids.
Dr Mohan told the inquest: “I didn’t want to discuss with mum because I didn’t think it would be helpful to her.”
Alison Hewitt, counsel to the inquest, later asked: “Were there concerns that Ms Shemirani was influencing Paloma?”
Dr Mohan replied: “That’s right.”
Paloma declined to have the treatment, and when Dr Mohan asked why, there did not seem to be a specific reason, the inquest heard.
Ms Hewitt asked Dr Mohan if she questioned Paloma on whether her decision was influenced by anyone.
Dr Mohan said: “She was very confident that it was her own decision and she was not influenced.”
Kate advocates for the use of “natural medicine” to cure diseases, and credits alternative therapies for being cancer free after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, although her tumour was removed through surgery.
It is these kinds of conspiracy theories that Paloma’s brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian Shemirani, believe led their sister to refuse treatment for cancer.
Kate and her husband Faramarz Shemirani have denied responsibility and claimed that “Paloma died as a result of medical interventions” since her sons made the accusations, the BBC reported.
“My sister has passed away as a direct consequence of my mum’s actions and beliefs,” Paloma's brother Sebastian told the BBC.
“And I don’t want anyone else to go through the same pain or loss that I have."
Paloma began suffering chest pains after she graduated from the University of Cambridge and was later diagnosed with cancers after doctors found a mass in her lung.
She was told the cancer could be fatal if left untreated, but that she had an 80 per cent chance of recovery with treatment.
Her mother then spent two days with her as an inpatient at Maidstone Hospital, which Paloma’s boyfriend claimed could have influenced her decision to reject chemotherapy.
Her brother, Gabriel, then began a legal case arguing that Paloma should have an assessment of the appropriate medical treatment for her.
However, Paloma died before the case reached its conclusion in July 2024.
The Independent has approached Kate Shemirani for comment.
