Concern mum 'influenced daughter's chemo refusal'

A 23-year-old woman died from cancer after refusing chemotherapy and seeking "alternative" therapies, an inquest has heard.

Paloma Shemirani died in July 2024 after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma but refusing chemotherapy, telling doctors she "wanted to consider other treatments".

Paloma's brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian, claim she was influenced by the beliefs of their mother, Kay "Kate" Shemirani. Ms Shemirani blames doctors for her daughter's death.

Dr Arundoya Mohan, a consultant haematologist at Maidstone Hospital, told the inquest she was concerned that the former nurse-turned-conspiracy theorist was influencing her daughter's refusal for treatment.

Dr Mohan told the inquest in Maidstone: "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."

She told the inquest that Ms Shemirani had mentioned wanting to be her daughter's "power of attorney" and was asking for copies of blood records.

Ms Shemirani rose to prominence on social media while sharing Covid-19 conspiracy theories during the pandemic.

She was struck off as a nurse in 2021, with a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee finding that she had spread Covid-19 misinformation which "put the public at a significant risk of harm".

Cross-examining Dr Mohan, Ms Shemirani said her daughter's account of her treatment at Maidstone Hospital "refutes everything" the witness said in evidence.

Ms Shemirani also said that Dr Mohan kept trying to contact Paloma after she declined chemotherapy.

When asked about this, Dr Mohan said: "It is my duty of care to treat her."

Dr Mohan told Paloma in December 2023 that she had an 80% chance of recovery if she had chemotherapy, adding she didn't initially have "any concerns raised by Paloma about going ahead with treatment".

She told the inquest that she recommended steroids and a PET (positron emission tomography) scan, adding that Paloma "nodded in agreement".

But soon after that, Paloma told Dr Mohan that she had not made her mind up about the treatment and wished to explore other options.

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."

The inquest continues.

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