Mom Convinced Daughter to Reject Chemotherapy for Cancer, Causing Her Death: Family
The tragic story of Paloma Shemirani has sparked widespread attention after her two brothers claimed their mother’s conspiracy-fueled beliefs led to Paloma’s death from cancer.
In a recent BBC Panorama interview, Gabriel and Sebastian Shemirani said their 23-year-old sister Paloma died in 2024 from non-Hodgkin lymphoma after refusing chemotherapy—despite being given an 80% chance of survival with the treatment.
They believe it was their mother, Kate Shemirani—a former nurse turned anti-vaccine and anti-science conspiracy theorist—who convinced Paloma to reject chemotherapy in favor of unproven “natural” therapies like juices and enemas.
“My sister passed away as a direct consequence of my mum’s actions and beliefs,” Sebastian told the BBC.
A History of Conspiracy Beliefs
Kate Shemirani, once a registered nurse in the UK, has long promoted extreme anti-science views. Her sons say she believes 9/11 was an inside job and the Sandy Hook school shooting was faked.
Back in 2012, Kate was diagnosed with breast cancer. Though she had surgery to remove the tumor, she credited her recovery not to doctors but to “juices and coffee enemas,” further deepening her mistrust in mainstream medicine.
Paloma’s Decline
Unlike her brothers, Paloma stayed in contact with their mother. Her twin, Gabriel, said Paloma often tried to win her mom’s affection. When she was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2023, she initially had a strong chance of recovery with chemotherapy. But after a hospital visit from Kate, Paloma chose to reject medical treatment.
Instead, under her mother’s supervision, she tried Gerson therapy, a controversial alternative treatment involving strict diets, supplements, and enemas. It’s not approved or backed by scientific research, and the National Cancer Institute states there’s no evidence it cures cancer.
Sadly, in July 2024, Paloma suffered a heart attack and was placed on life support. She died shortly after—just seven months after her diagnosis.
Kate’s Response
After Paloma’s death, Kate claimed on social media that her daughter had been “murdered” and blamed the healthcare system. She called modern medicine “a homicide service” and said Paloma’s death was “one big massive manslaughter case.”
When a user on X (formerly Twitter) accused the BBC of lying, Kate replied, “Let them all fall on their swords. My silence has been for a reason… the documents do not lie.”
An official inquest into Paloma’s death is scheduled to take place next month.
A Family Divided
While Kate continues to promote her controversial views, her surviving children are speaking out in hopes that no other family suffers a similar fate.
“I don’t want anyone else to go through the same pain or loss that I have,” Sebastian said.
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